The mother of A.B. Hernandez, a high school track athlete at the center of ongoing debates about transgender participation in sports, recently criticized California school officials. She voiced her disapproval over the decision to award duplicate medals and podium spots to biological female athletes at state track meets.
Her remarks were shared in a post from Rainbow Families Action, a group advocating for transgender rights. The post featured a letter from the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) announcing the policy change, which came just before Hernandez excelled in the long jump, high jump, and triple jump at the CIF Southern Section championship final.
“All these big, tough ex-athletes at CIF, and the most courage they could muster was to hand this to coaches at AB’s meet today,” the group expressed in their post.
“Not a single one of them had the bravery to face her or her mother and admit: ‘This entire initiative of violating the Education Code is directed at you. A child,'” the post continued.
Nereyda Hernandez, who has been a steadfast supporter of her transgender son’s right to compete in girls’ divisions, shared the impassioned post.
“Today at the CIF Track & Field Finals, my heart was full watching A.B compete,” she reflected following her son’s participation in the event.
“No matter how differently she may be seen by some, she continues to walk onto that field with the most beautiful smile on her face, gives EVERY event her ALL, and carries herself with grace, determination, and sportsmanship.”
The CIF announced they would continue the pilot entry process first introduced during last year’s championships, saying that biological female competitors will be allowed to advance to the next round without winning the event.
The policy also guarantees medal placements for biological female athletes who would have otherwise finished behind a transgender competitor.
They were also told they would share the podium next to the transgender winner of an event.
However, on Saturday, Hernandez’s female rivals iced her out during the medal ceremonies, with one competitor skipping the podium altogether and others keeping their distance.
The meet drew roughly 2,000 spectators, many of whom voiced outrage over Hernandez competing in the girls division.
Hernandez posted a winning long jump mark of 20 feet, 4.75 inches (6.21 meters), comfortably ahead of Moorpark High School athlete Gianna Gonzalez, who jumped just over 19 feet (5.79 meters).
During the high jump medal ceremony, Hernandez stood atop the podium alongside Oak Park High School’s Gwynneth Mureika, who was also handed a gold medal despite finishing second.
This was the only time on Saturday that Hernandez stood next to a female athlete on the podium.
Hernandez cleared 5 feet, 8 inches (1.72 meters), while Mureika reached 5 feet, 6 inches (1.67 meters).
The policy was implemented amid growing backlash surrounding Hernandez’s dominance.
The issue has become one of the most explosive debates in California high school sports, with critics arguing the state’s transgender participation policies conflict with protections for female athletes under Title IX.
“If you have to create a shared podium for the boy competing in the girls’ event, you’ve already admitted you know he isn’t a girl and that his participation is unfair,” former NCAA athlete Riley Haines wrote on X.
“At that point, you’re just seeking a public humiliation ritual for the girls,” she added.
Supporters, meanwhile, say transgender students deserve equal opportunities to compete and belong in school athletics.
The CIF said it would continue balancing “the opportunity to belong, connect, and compete, while complying with California law and Education Code.”
