A year after being awarded two gold medals at the California state track and field championships amid protests over her participation as a transgender girl, a high school athlete will return to the meet this week to defend her titles \u2014 and maybe claim a third, or more.<\/p>\n
AB Hernandez, a senior at Jurupa Valley High School, about 40 miles east of Los Angeles, is considered a strong contender to win three events at the event on Friday and Saturday in Clovis, Calif.: high jump, triple jump and long jump. But even if she finishes far ahead of her competitors, she won\u2019t stand alone on the podium.<\/p>\n
Last year, the debate over whether it is fair for trans girls to compete in girls\u2019 events reached the White House, as President Trump threatened to withhold funding from California if it let her compete. Event organizers scrambled to assuage concerns and made a last-minute rule change: Athletes who finished in the spot behind a trans athlete would be elevated to share the trans girl\u2019s placement.<\/p>\n
So when Ms. Hernandez won<\/a> the high jump and the triple jump last year under the new rule, she and her fellow competitors squeezed onto the top spot of the podium for the medal ceremonies. She also shared the silver medal \u2014 and the podium \u2014 in the long jump.<\/p>\n California officials have said they will use the same protocols at this year\u2019s meet.<\/p>\n