Track Star Uses Photo To Protest Following Meet
In a moment that pierced the heart of a growing cultural and political storm, 16-year-old track athlete Reese Hogan made a silent but seismic statement on the winner’s podium in California’s CIF Southern Section Finals.
After officially placing second in the triple jump—beaten only by AB Hernandez, a biological male athlete identifying as female—Hogan waited until the official photos were taken. Then, with the top spot temporarily vacant, she stepped up to the No. 1 podium and claimed it as her own.
The crowd erupted.
That moment, brief but defiant, has since gone viral—earning Hogan national praise and thrusting her into the center of a growing resistance movement against what many see as the unraveling of women’s sports. Riley Gaines, a leading advocate for female athletes and fairness in competition, heralded Hogan’s action: “THIS is the way. Congrats to Reese Hogan, the REAL champ!!!” she posted on X.
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!!! https://t.co/KiEm2yV2YY pic.twitter.com/hqGdikES29
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) May 18, 2025
Though Hernandez was officially declared the winner, having leapt more than four feet farther than Hogan, it was Hogan who had outperformed every female competitor—achieving a personal best in the process.
But the rules of the CIF (California Interscholastic Federation), which currently allow transgender-identifying males to compete in the girls’ division, left Hogan with a silver medal and a burning question: What does it really mean to win?
The answer, for Hogan, was on full display atop that No. 1 podium.
Earlier in the week, Hogan had already taken a stand—this time through her attire. Wearing a “Protect Girls Sports” shirt, she became one of a growing number of young female athletes protesting the inclusion of biological males in girls’ competition. According to Hogan, officials pressured her to remove the shirt, warning—albeit subtly—that her participation might be at risk if she didn't comply.
Several athletes showed up wearing shirts that read “Protect Girls Sports”
CIF instructed them to remove any clothing not issued by their school despite allowing other athletes to wear non-school-issued apparel
America rejected this blatant sex-based discrimination on Nov 5th https://t.co/X7UohKTQui pic.twitter.com/rc4xYx2iOR
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) May 13, 2025
“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,” she told Fox News.