Reese Hogan, a high school athlete from Crean Lutheran High School, has become the center of a heated nationwide discussion after an act of quiet defiance at the CIF Southern Section Finals in California over transgender issues.
Despite finishing second in the triple jump behind transgender competitor AB Hernandez, Hogan made headlines by stepping onto the top podium spot after the official photo was taken. A move that many have interpreted as a stand for fairness in girls’ sports.
An image showing Reese Hogan stepped right on up to the first place podium after she came in second behind transgender athlete AB Hernandez on Saturday
Online Critics
The competition, held over the weekend, saw Hogan achieve a personal record and set a new school milestone. However, her second-place finish behind Hernandez, a transgender athlete from Jurupa Valley, sparked outrage from some commentators. Online users who claim that biological differences gave Hernandez an unfair edge.
Riley Gaines, a former collegiate swimmer and prominent advocate for restricting trans women from competing in female categories, shared a clip of Hogan’s post-race moment on social media.
“When the boy stepped down, she took her rightful place,” Gaines wrote on X. “The crowd erupts with applause. THIS is the way. Congrats to Reese Hogan, the REAL champ!”
In that event, Hernandez won the triple jump by just over four feet. The athlete also claimed the long jump title and placed seventh in the high jump. He earned a spot in the upcoming CIF Southern Section Masters Meet scheduled for May 24 at Moorpark High School.
An image showing Hernandez (middle) is seen holding up the number one and a medal after winning
Hernandez currently holds the top marks in California for both the triple jump and long jump. The dominance has stirred intense debate online, especially after recent performances showed victories by wide margins. This included an eight-foot lead in the triple jump at the Ontario Relays.
Critics argue Hernandez’s inclusion in girls’ events is unfair. Jennifer Sey, founder of the group XX-XY, posted a video calling out the win. Political commentator Colin Rugg pointed to Hernandez’s results as “proof” of an uneven playing field.
Sentiments From Hernandez
Hernandez, however, has dismissed these critiques. In a recent interview with Capital & Main, the athlete said, “There’s nothing I can do about people’s actions — I focus on myself. I’m still a kid. If you’re an adult and behaving this way, it says more about you than me.”
Addressing claims of biological advantage, Hernandez added: “If being born male makes me unbeatable, how do you explain when I don’t win everything? That logic doesn’t hold.”
This latest chapter comes just weeks after a Republican-backed federal bill that sought to ban transgender girls and women from competing in female sports failed to clear the U.S. Senate. The legislation, which aimed to define Title IX protections based strictly on biological sex at birth, was blocked by Democrats in a 51-45 vote.
With national attention now on both athletes, and the debate around gender and fairness in sports intensifying, all eyes will be on the upcoming Masters Meet, and on how governing bodies respond to the growing divide.
