A California high school teen decided to pose on the first-place podium, despite losing to a male-born transgender athlete.
16-year-old Reese Hogan came second during the triple jump at the CIF Southern Section Finals on Saturday – achieving a new personal best at 37 feet, 2 inches.
Coming in first was junior trans athlete, AB Hernandez of Jurupa Valley who achieved top in the girls’ long jump and triple jump.
Once they had their podium photos and left, Hogan used this opportunity to step into the first place spot and get a photo.
A moment that has since been praised online by Riley Gaines, a conservative influencer and ex NCAA swimmer.
Taking to Twitter, she wrote: ‘Congratulations to Reese Hogan, the real champion in yesterday’s triple jump at CIF Southern Section Finals.
She set a new PR and school record. The boy standing atop the podium holding up a ‘number 1′ is a fraud enabled by CIFSS, CA-DEM & CAgovernor.’
She later followed up with a video of the moment Hogan stepped into first place, writing: ‘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!!!’
Hernandez defeated Hogan during the triples jump, as reported by Sports Illustrated.
The teen was also spotted protesting in a “Protect Girls Sports” shirt at the CIF Southern Section Division 3 Prelims at Yorba Linda High School on May 10, as reported by Fox News.
The female athletes claimed that officials made them remove these shirts before their track meet. Hogan shared: “It wasn’t said but it was implied that if I didn’t take my shirt off then and there, then something could potentially happen to my spot, it wasn’t said but it was implied,”
“Throughout the day it was kind of getting a little bit more stricter … getting a little bit more hostile with their voices … they never said anything about getting disqualified, but it was kind of implied by the tone of their voice and the way that they said things.”
The CIF later confirmed that the incident did occur and that the teens had their school uniforms on under their protest shirts: “Per the CIF Southern Section Playoff Bulletin, all athletes must be dressed in proper, school issued, track uniforms,” they shared with Fox News in a statement.
“The student-athletes were asked to comply with this while in the on-field event area, as they were wearing said shirts over their school-issued uniform.”
