Transgender athlete AB Hernandez dominates girls' track events at California prelims amid protests

Jurupa Valley senior AB Hernandez, born male, won three girls' events at the CIF Southern Section Division 3 preliminaries on May 9 with dominant margins. Hernandez took the triple jump by more than four feet and the long jump by over a foot, results that supporters of Save Girls’ Sports cite as evidence of competitive advantages from biological differences.

Activists from Save Girls’ Sports protested outside Yorba Linda High School during the meet. OutKick spoke with parents and attendees who said the results spoke for themselves on fairness, despite the debate turning contentious.

Pro-trans activists countered that inclusion outweighs results, but opponents said female athletes lose opportunities. Hernandez will compete again Saturday, May 16, before the CIF finals in Clovis later this month under rules allowing transgender participation based on gender identity.

AB Hernandez’s mother, Nereyda, declined to speak with OutKick but told the Los Angeles Times that criticism of her child stems from midterm election politics. "Once they started posting [online] about their protest, I thought, ‘Wow, it’s going to be another crazy year,’" she said. "But no, on the outside, they had maybe, maybe 10 people. … They’re there to target one child, but they affect all of them."

Nereyda told the Times she warned AB this is an election year and opponents would hit hard for campaigns. She defended CIF policies and criticized protesters as outsiders, not involved parents. "She has been doing this sport since freshman year [of high school]," Nereyda said. "She’s not doing anything wrong. It’s just the outsiders. They’re infiltrating, pretending they’re parents or they know people, but I’m the mom. I know who they are."

In a statement through TransFamily Support Services, Nereyda said harassment of AB comes from adults, including some in positions of power, though competitors have shown respect.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom acknowledged fairness concerns in an early 2025 podcast with Charlie Kirk. "I think it’s an issue of fairness. I completely agree with you on that," Newsom said. "It is an issue of fairness. It’s deeply unfair. I’m not wrestling with the fairness issue. I totally agree with you."

Supporters of Save Girls’ Sports reference cases like former University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas, who ranked 462nd nationally on the men’s team before winning an NCAA Division I women’s title, and San Jose State volleyball player Blair Fleming, whose participation led opponents to forfeit over safety and category integrity.

Athletes and parents say concerns focus on preserving Title IX opportunities for females, not ideology. They argue girls lose podium spots, titles and scholarships to competitors with physical advantages training cannot match. Nereyda said her family looks forward to the next meet despite protests, while supporters insist protected competition for female athletes must come first.