Trans athlete laughs off backlash after winning California girls’ track and field titles

Trans athlete laughs off backlash after winning California girls’ track and field titles

AB Hernandez won 2 California state titles

First-place winners AB Hernandez, left, and Jillene Wetteland share a light moment before the medal ceremony for the high jump at the California high school track-and-field championships in Clovis, California, on Saturday, May 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

AB Hernandez, center, flashes a sign as she shares the first-place spot on the podium with Jillene Wetteland, left, and Lelani Laruelle during a medal ceremony for the high jump at the California high school track-and-field championships in Clovis, California, on Saturday, May 31, 2025. At right is third-place finisher Julia Teven. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

AB Hernandez, a transgender student at Jurupa Valley High School, poses for photos with her medals at the California high school track-and-field championships in Clovis, California, on Saturday, May 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)