YORBA LINDA, CALIFORNIA - MAY 10: AB Hernandez of Jurupa Valley competes in the girls high jump during the CIF Southern Section Division 3 Track and Field preliminaries at Nathan Shapell Memorial Stadium at Yorba Linda High School on May 10, 2025 in Yorba Linda, California. (Photo by Kirby Lee/Getty Images)
Clovis, California – The California State Track and Field Championships opened Friday in Clovis under heightened scrutiny and unprecedented policy changes, as junior AB Hernandez of Jurupa Valley High School prepared to compete in three jumping events as the only openly transgender athlete at the meet.
Hernandez, who qualified for the girls high jump, long jump, and triple jump events, enters the competition amid ongoing political and legal battles concerning transgender participation in high school athletics. The California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), which governs high school sports in the state, introduced new rules this week allowing additional athletes to compete in events involving a transgender competitor. The move ensures that no athlete would be denied a spot in the finals or miss out on a medal due to Hernandez’s presence in the competition.
The CIF’s new “pilot entry process” will expand the number of qualifiers and medals in the affected events if Hernandez finishes in the top three. Under the policy, Hernandez’s performance will not displace what the federation refers to as a “biological female” athlete from the medal podium. However, the CIF has not clarified how it defines or determines that status.
The policy shift follows rising national attention. President Trump publicly condemned Hernandez’s participation earlier this week and threatened to withhold federal funding from California over its trans-inclusive athletic policies. On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Justice announced an investigation into whether California’s School Success and Opportunity Act, which allows students to participate in sports consistent with their gender identity, violates Title IX.
Despite the controversy, Hernandez remains focused on competition. She currently ranks second in the state in the long jump with a mark of 20 feet, 1½ inches, recorded in March. Only Katie McGuinness of La Canada High School, who jumped 20 feet, 4 inches, has posted a better mark this season. Hernandez also placed third at last year’s state meet in the triple jump and played on her school’s volleyball team in the fall.
More than 57,000 athletes competed in California high school track and field this season, making the road to the state meet intensely competitive. The state has historically been a leader in girls triple jump, producing eight of the 12 national record-setters in the event from 1984 to 2019.
The CIF emphasized respect and sportsmanship in the championship program, urging athletes, spectators, and coaches to maintain a welcoming environment. While debate continues over policy, for Hernandez and thousands of other high school athletes, this weekend represents the culmination of a season of dedication, training, and achievement on the field.
