A biological male won a girls varsity high jump event in Oregon this week, almost two years after finishing last in a boys equivalent. 

Lia Rose, who was born Zachary, dominated the competition at the Portland Interscholastic League Varsity event on Wednesday, according to conservative journalist David Medina.

Rose, a senior at Ida B. Wells High School, won with a height of 4-foot 8-inches and beat her nearest competitor Addyson Skyles by a huge two inches. That effort was a personal record for Rose.

However, when competing against boys in May 2023, she finished 11th out of 11 in the junior varsity boys equivalent. 

According to athletic.net, Rose jumped 4-foot 6-inches which was a foot lower than the winner of the male competition. 

Athletic records show Zachary competed in the boys category throughout 2023 and continued to do so after becoming Lia. 

Lia Rose, who was born Zachary, dominated the girls high jump at an event in Oregon

However, in 2025, Lia switched to competing in the girls category.

Zachary also competed as a sophomore in track and once finished second in a junior varsity 3,000m race.

A spokesperson from Portland Public Schools was unable to confirm or deny that Lia and Zachary are the same person, citing the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act ‘to protect student privacy.’ 

It comes less than two weeks after an Oregon high school caused fresh controversy after again allowing a transgender athlete to dominate their rivals in a women’s track competition.

At the 2024 6A-1 Portland Interscholastic League Championship, 10th-grader Aayden Gallagher won both the girl’s 200m and 400m races for McDaniel High School in Portland.

Now, a year on, cameras caught Gallagher – now going by Ada – racing clear once more. She won the 200m by more than 1.5 seconds and the 400m by nearly 10 seconds.

Footage of the races appeared on social media, sparking fury among the likes of former swimmer Riley Gaines. 

‘Another day, another boy dominating in girl’s sports,’ Gaines wrote on X. ‘Aayden ‘Ada’ Gallagher set a season record and beat the fastest girl by over 7 seconds…  does he have no shame? Do his PARENTS have no shame?’

Ada Gallagher won the women’s 400 meters by nearly 10 seconds at a meet in Oregon 

Gallagher also triumphed in the 200m, finishing more than a second ahead of second place

‘This was in Oregon. Ahem, @AGPamBondi,’ Gaines added, tagging Donald Trump’s attorney general in the post.

After returning to the White House for a second term, Trump signed an executive order, entitled ‘Keeping Men out of Women’s Sports’.

‘In recent years, many educational institutions and athletic associations have allowed men to compete in women’s sports,’ the order says. ‘This is demeaning, unfair, and dangerous to women and girls, and denies women and girls the equal opportunity to participate and excel in competitive sports.’

According to an NCSA college recruiting profile, Gallagher – who is listed as 5ft 10ins at 155lbs – writes: ‘I’m able to continue running when thousands of people wish for me to stop and doubt my integrity.’

Meanwhile, the Oregon School Activities Association’s policy on ‘gender identity participation’ reads: ‘The OSAA endeavors to allow students to participate for the athletic or activity program of their consistently asserted gender identity while providing a fair and safe environment for all students.’ 

It continues: ‘Rules such as this one promotes harmony and fair competition among member schools by maintaining equality of eligibility and increase the number of students who will have an opportunity to participate in interscholastic activities.’