A shocking moment at a high school track meet in California is causing anger and starting a big discussion all over the country.
At the CIF Southern Section Finals, Reese Hogan from Crean Lutheran made a brave move — she stepped onto the first-place podium, even though she actually came in second in the triple jump.
Why did she do this? Hogan lost to AB Hernandez, a transgender athlete who was born male but now competes as a female.
The argument about transgender athletes in women’s sports is splitting the country in half. Supporters believe it’s about inclusion, identity, and basic human rights — while critics argue it threatens fairness and the integrity of women’s competitions.
This issue isn’t just a cultural hot topic — it’s also a political one. In February, former President Donald Trump made a strong move by signing an executive order that prohibits transgender women from competing in female sports divisions.
Trump stated, “The war on women’s sports is over,” promising that during the upcoming LA Olympic Games, “my administration will not stand by and watch men beat and batter female athletes.”
This decision, not surprisingly, sparked a nationwide uproar — and not every state is agreeing. For instance, Maine has openly refused to ban transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports.
Now, a viral incident in California has reignited this heated debate.
At the CIF Southern Section Finals on May 18, Crean Lutheran High School’s Reese Hogan took a defiant stand.
Though she finished second in the triple jump, Hogan returned to the podium after the official ceremony and stood tall on the top spot —left empty after the event’s winner, outspoken transgender athlete AB Hernandez, exited.
When the boy got off the podium, she assumed her rightful spot as champion. The crowd erupts with applause.
THIS is the way.
Congrats to Reese Hogan, the REAL champ!!! https://t.co/KiEm2yV2YY pic.twitter.com/hqGdikES29
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) May 18, 2025
The video of the scene went viral and spread quickly online. For a lot of people, it represented their frustration about what they think is an unfair situation.
Hernandez, a male athlete who identifies as female, really stood out in the competition with a jump of 41 feet, 4 inches — which was more than four feet ahead of Hogan.
Hernandez, who is from Jurupa Valley High School in California, also won the long jump and came in seventh in the high jump, qualifying for the CIF Masters Meet that is set for May 24.
People on the internet reacted fast.
“This guy won the girls long jump and triple jump in a CA track meet over the weekend,” said Jennifer Sey, who started a group for women’s sports called XX-XY.
This guy won the girls long jump and triple jump in a CA track meet over the weekend.
He won the triple jump by 8ft. He’s really crushing it!
It’s the giggly “feminine” affectations that make him a girl, right? 😡
— Jennifer Sey (@JenniferSey) March 3, 2025
“He won the triple jump by 8ft. He’s really doing great!”
“Wow, what an achievement. I bet it has nothing to do with being a biological male,” joked Colin Rugg, who co-owns Trending Politics.
Others joined in, sharing a growing wave of criticism.
“Second place is the real champion!” one person wrote. “Good for her! This nonsense needs to end,” another person added.
A straightforward sign seen at the meet said:
“The weakest men compete with girls, the weakest minds celebrate it.”
Another user added:
“I’m tired of this. All the struggle for women’s rights is now gone by the same people who fought for women’s rights in the first place.
The backlash is the newest in a series of controversies related to transgender athletes competing in women’s events. Many people refer to earlier high-profile cases, like one in North Carolina that had lasting effects.
In 2022, a 17-year-old volleyball player named Payton McNabb experienced a serious brain injury after being hit by a spike from a transgender player. Her mom later mentioned:
“At that moment, we weren’t allowed to speak out. We couldn’t say, ‘No, she shouldn’t be playing against a boy, it’s dangerous.’”
The McNabb situation helped motivate North Carolina lawmakers to create a law that prevents transgender athletes from joining girls’ and women’s sports teams in middle school, high school, and college.
However, not everyone agrees with this type of policy. More than 400 current and former Olympic athletes signed a letter asking the NCAA not to put similar bans in place, stating they wanted to be on the “right side of history” and claiming that sports should be “for all.”
On the other hand, Hernandez dismissed the anger, calling it “ridiculous.”
“The simple fact that men compete against women is absurd,” one critic said online. “Trans people should have their own league, and regular, normal people can have their traditional men’s and women’s sports.”
But others defended the young athlete’s right to compete.
“She followed all the rules,” one user wrote. “If people don’t like it, the problem is with the rules, not with her.”
“Trans girls are girls,” another added. “Hernandez won fair and square.”
In a recent chat with Capital & Main, Hernandez talked about the backlash she’s been getting during a wild track and field season — one that had some great finishes but also times when she didn’t even get on the podium.
“I’m still a kid, you’re an adult, and for you to act like a kid shows what kind of person you are. All I thought was, ‘I don’t think you realize that this makes your silly claims look foolish. She can’t be beaten because she’s biologically male.’ Now you have no evidence that I can’t be beaten.”
According to Capital & Main — a well-respected nonprofit that covers important economic, environmental, and social topics in California — studies show that transgender athletes haven’t consistently done better than their cisgender counterparts. In fact, by several measures, transgender women were found to be at a disadvantage compared to cisgender women.
The issue doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon. With more states trying to enforce bans and famous athletes sharing their opinions on both sides, the debate over the future of women’s sports is far from over.
And because of Reese Hogan’s quiet protest on the podium, it just got a lot louder.
