A viral moment at a California track meet has added fuel to an already heated national debate after Reese Hogan, a high school athlete from Crean Lutheran High School, stood proudly on the first-place podium despite finishing second behind a transgender competitor.

Hogan was competing at the CIF Southern Section Finals on Saturday when she was bested in the triple jump by AB Hernandez, a biologically male athlete who identifies as female.

In a controversial move that for many symbolized the turmoil surrounding trangender participation in women’s sports, Hogan returned to the podium after the medal ceremony, stepping onto the top spot left vacant once Hernandez exited.

A female athlete returned to stand on the first-place podium after finishing second to a transgender high school competitor

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Hernandez won the triple jump with a distance of 41 feet and 4 inches—more than four feet ahead of Hogan.

Hernandez also claimed victory in the long jump competition and placed seventh in the high jump, securing qualification for the CIF Southern Section Masters Meet, which will take place on May 24.

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The result triggered a wave of backlash online, especially from women’s sports advocacy groups and conservative outlets that didn’t mince words to make their thoughts known.

“This guy won the girls long jump and triple jump in a CA track meet over the weekend,” wrote Jennifer Sey, founder of the advocacy group XX-XY, on social media. “He won the triple jump by 8ft. He’s really crushing it!”

“Wow, what an accomplishment. I’m sure it had nothing to do with being a biological male,” wrote Colin Rugg, co-owner of conservative site Trending Politics.

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Netizen opinions were more nuanced but still leaned towards being critical of Hernandez’ participation in the women’s competition.

“Second place is the real champion!” one user wrote. “Good on her! This nonsense has to stop,” another replied.

“The weakest men compete with girls, the weakest minds celebrate it,” one sign read.

“I’m sick of this. All the fight for women’s rights is now gone by the same people who fought for women’s rights in the first place.”

The issue has divided the public, with each side defending its own interpretation of fairness and equality in women’s sports

Image credits: Jennifer Sey

Netizen opinions towards the idea of transgender athletes competing in women’s sports have soured following a string of testimonies of biologically female athletes being injured or having their achievements allegedly diminished by transgender competitors rapidly outpacing them.

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For instance, in September 2022, a 17-year-old’s dream of becoming a college athlete was shattered in a second after she was hit in the head by a high-speed volleyball spiked by a transgender player.

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The impact rattled her brain, causing an instant knockout that was made even worse as she hit the floor. Payton McNabb, from Murphy, North Carolina, was unconscious for 30 seconds and woke up to her future as a player in pieces.

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Due to the delicate nature of the subject matter, McNabb’s family was afraid to speak up out of fear of being subjected to harassment, cancellations, and accusations of transphobia.

“At the time, we weren’t allowed to speak up. We couldn’t say, ‘No, she’s not playing against a boy, it’s dangerous.’” Pamela McNabb, her mother, said at the time.

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McNabb’s testimony was instrumental in North Carolina passing a ban on transgender athletes competing on middle, high school, and college level women’s sports teams.

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The ban motivated a group of more than 400 current and former Olympic athletes to sign a letter urging the National College Athletics Association (NCAA) to not issue a similar ban.

In the letter, signatories called on people to be on the “right side of history,” believing the prohibition would be against the principle of sports being “for all.”

Hernandez called the outrage “ridiculous,” arguing that being transgender offers no inherent advantages in sports

“The mere fact that men compete against women is absurd,” one reader argued. “Trans people should have their own league, and regular, normal people can have their traditional men’s and women’s sports.”

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Meanwhile, some defended Hernandez’ right to compete. “She followed all the rules,” one user argued. “If people don’t like it, the problem is with the rules, not with her.”

“Trans girls are girls,” another followed. “Hernandez won fair and square.”

Image credits: Capital & Main / YouTube

For Hernandez, who has been defeated by biologically female athletes in the past, the claim of having an unfair advantage is “ridiculous” and “idiotic.”

Image credits: Capital & Main / YouTube

“I’m still a child, you’re an adult, and for you to act like a child shows how you are as a person,” the athlete said.

“All I thought was, ‘I don’t think you understand that this puts your idiotic claims to trash. She can’t be beat because she’s biologically male.’ Now you have no proof that I can’t be beat.”

Hernandez’ victory comes at a time of heightened national attention on the participation of transgender athletes in girls’ and women’s sports. In March, Senate Democrats blocked a bill that would ban their inclusion at federally funded schools and institutions.

“Sad.” Netizens took to social media to reflect on the incident and its consequences

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