High school track star ‘shocked' after being stripped of championship for tribute celebration
Article content
Article content
North Salinas High School's Clara Adams was disqualified by officials after winning the 400-metre event on Saturday for using a fire extinguisher while paying homage to U.S. Olympic hero Maurice Greene.
Article content
After the sophomore crossed the finish line to win the race being held at Buchanan High in Clovis, Adams ran over to her father to celebrate.
Article content
David Adams handed his daughter a fire extinguisher, who then — away from her competitors — sprayed the device on her shoes as if they were on fire.
Article content
'I told Clara, 'You're on fire,'' he told the Mercury News. 'She did not do it in front of her opponents. She wasn't disrespecting anyone.'
Article content
California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) officials at the meet didn't see it that way, immediately disqualifying Adams and saying the celebration was unsportsmanlike.
Article content
'I don't know what's going through my mind right now,' Clara said.
Article content
16-year-old Clara Adams was disqualified from the 400m state title after using a fire extinguisher in her celebration
A reenactment of Maurice Green's iconic reaction from 2004
Are officials restricting athletes' expression on the track? pic.twitter.com/ZJ4Yu6yhqH
— RoriDunk (@FitzDunk) June 3, 2025
Article content
Article content
'I'm disappointed and I feel robbed. I am in shock. They (officials) yelled at me and told me, 'We're not letting you on the podium.' They took my moment away from me.'
Article content
Article content
It wasn't just that moment of victory, either. Because the disqualification was for an unsportsmanlike act, Adams was not allowed to compete in the 200-metre race at the meet — which she was one of the favourites to win.
Article content
'That was our moment of celebration and CIF officials made it about them,' David Adams told local NBC affiliate KSBW. 'The crowd went crazy, they loved it, the CIF booth went crazy, they loved it. But those few guys in those jackets took offence to it, didn't like it and made a decision based off emotions.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CTV News
41 minutes ago
- CTV News
Demonstrators protest Trump-backed redistricting plans at over 200 events across the country
Demonstrators protest against the recently introduced redistricting legislation during an emergency march and picket rally outside of the Governor's Mansion on August 4, in Austin, Texas. (/File via CNN Newsource) (CNN) — At parks, coffee shops, churches and government buildings around the country, hundreds of people are gathering today with a simple message: 'Stop the Trump takeover.' The rallies are a bid to combat Republican-led plans to redraw congressional maps. The main event will take place in Texas, where a new congressional map backed by U.S. President Donald Trump that could net Republicans five additional seats in the 2026 midterm elections inspired the state's Democratic lawmakers to flee the state – preventing the quorum needed to vote. 'Trump is terrified of the American people,' said the Texas for All Coalition, which is helping organize the events, in a news release. 'He knows he can't win on his ideas, so he's trying to take Congress by hook or by crook – and he's doing it by silencing the voices of communities of colour. We're not going to let that happen.' Organizers emphasized 'a commitment to nonviolence' at all events in event page descriptions. Over 200 events are planned in 34 states, according to the event's official website. The Democratic National Committee is helping organize events, it announced in a news release. 'From coast to coast, people will be showing up at their statehouses, city halls, and community spaces to make it clear – we see what Trump is doing, and we won't stand for it,' said the DNC. A swath of non-profits and other organizations are also supporting the effort, including Planned Parenthood, the Working Families Party and Human Rights Campaign. Trump described the proposed Texas congressional map as a 'very simple redrawing' at the White House. 'We pick up five seats,' he added. But it doesn't end with Texas. Republican leaders in other states, too, have proposed changing their congressional maps ahead of next year's midterms. The White House is pushing Missouri legislators to consider a special session to redraw maps. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has floated the idea of changing his state's maps, and has said he thinks the Trump administration should give the state another seat. In Ohio, maps must be redrawn due to a quirk of state law – which may make the state's delegation even more Republican and carve up two Democratic seats, according to a report in June from CNN's Fredreka Schouten. Democratic lawmakers have announced their own plans to fight back, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who kicked off his own redistricting push on Thursday. Here's more on what we know about Saturday's protests. Austin, Texas, rally Today's largest protest is taking place in Austin, Texas. Over 1,000 people RSVPed for the event, which started at the state's Capitol. 'Texas is being used as a testing ground for extremist policies and partisan games that don't reflect our values,' reads the event page. 'Thousands of Texans have shown up against the racially gerrymandered congressional map lawmakers are trying to force through in order to weaken the voting power of communities of colour.' Demonstrators filled the area outside the Capitol, waving signs with messages including 'Abbott's letting Trump take over Texas,' 'Put Texans first,' and 'Compassion over cruelty.' Organizers led chants of 'Show me what democracy looks like, this is what democracy looks like' and 'Sí se puede' – the motto of the United Farm Workers, which translates to 'Yes, you can.' The demonstration, which began Saturday morning, has included a performance from drag queen Brigitte Bandit and speeches from former Texas Congressman Beto O'Rourke, United Farm Workers co-founder Dolores Huerta, Democratic U.S. Rep. Greg Casar and Rep. Lloyd Doggett of Texas, as well as local activists. 'The danger we're facing is so much bigger than any one of us,' Casar said. 'This is about the state of our country, and we're in really hard times here in America right now.' The congressman criticized Trump's ongoing deportation campaign and said that he had been prevented from visiting an immigration detention centre. 'Here in Austin, Texas, we're a shining light,' Casar said of the protest. 'Authoritarianism is what we're facing. And when you feel that pit in your stomach, that despair, and when you ask, 'What can I even do?' You are showing people what we do.' Doggett said the president is deploying National Guard troops 'not because of crime or immigrants.' 'It's because he envisions a day when he will use that military against us,' the lawmaker said. 'We don't need the National Guard on our streets,' Doggett said. 'We need national guard rails on a lawless president.' O'Rourke said the Republican push for redistricting is because Republicans fear 'accountability for their crimes and corruption.' 'They will do everything they can to seek to stop us, including trying to divide us,' he said. 'I am afraid that the consolidation of authoritarian power in the hands of this president will be nearly unstoppable.' Met with raucous applause, O'Rourke also called for 'a free, independent, sovereign Palestinian state' and for Texas women to be able to 'make their own decisions about their own bodies.' 'So we must stand together, and we must stand in front,' he went on. 'It's up to you and me to show them that in Texas, our knees do not bend.' Huerta, who is 95, urged attendees to organize politically and fight the redistricting push. 'When we organize, we win,' she said. She ended her speech with a chant of 'Who's got the power? We do.' Across Texas, events are also happening in Houston, Dallas, San Angelo, Tyler, McAllen, Conroe and Kingwood. Nationwide demonstrations Events and rallies are also scheduled in dozens of other states, both in Democratic strongholds and Republican-majority states. Local organizers planned each city-specific event. In New York City, demonstrators are expected to gather in Central Park. In Washington, DC, where Trump has deployed the National Guard and declared a federal takeover of the local police department, organizers are painting banners and signs to place around the city. Protesters in Raleigh and Durham, North Carolina, plan to hold a 'bridge brigade,' holding signs on 16 different bridges. Demonstrations are also planned in Cincinnati, Ohio; Sarasota, Florida; and Jefferson City, Missouri, among other cities. The planned events include rallies, teach-ins, banner drops and art-making at locations that include a bookstore in Jacksonville, Florida, and a Tesla showroom in Palo Alto, California. The demonstrations follow a string of other protests organized since Trump took office for the second time in January, including the 'No Kings' protests in June and demonstrations against the president's deportation campaign in July. Drucilla Tigner, the executive director of statewide coalition Texas For All, said in a news release that the fight extends far past Texas. 'Across Texas, and across the country, communities are speaking out in a united voice to call for an end to the Trump takeover,' she said. 'Though this fight started in Texas, it doesn't end here. This isn't just about redistricting or one state's politics.' 'It's about the future of our democracy.'
CTV News
41 minutes ago
- CTV News
Sudbury celebrated Pakistan Independence Day with flag-raising
Sudbury celebrated Pakistan Independence Day with flag-raising Dozens gathered at the James Jerome Sports Complex in Sudbury Thursday evening for a Pakistan Independence Day celebration. The event featured a flag-raising, speeches and food. Organizers said it was a chance to share their culture and heritage with the community.
CBC
42 minutes ago
- CBC
The Sunday Magazine for August 17, 2025
Social Sharing This week on The Sunday Magazine with guest host Saroja Coelho: What was gained – or lost – at Trump's Alaska meeting with Putin Friday marked the first time U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin met in person since the war in Ukraine began. Notably missing from the summit in Alaska: the Ukrainians. Coelho speaks with New York Times White House correspondent Katie Rogers about what was accomplished – or lost – at the meeting. Then, McGill University political science associate professor Maria Popova explains the best and worst case scenarios for peace following the summit. The case for throwing shade in cities where sun reigns As record temperatures scorch Canada, you may find yourself walking on the shady side of the street, or ducking under a tree. But in many cities, keeping public spaces sunny has long been a key priority. The Globe and Mail's architecture critic Alex Bozikovic explains how sun and shade wars have broader implications on critical city infrastructure. Then, Coelho speaks with environmental journalist Sam Bloch about how prizing sun over shade has cast a long shadow on urban design and public health in our warming world. What's next after government intervenes in Air Canada labour dispute After a short strike and ensuing lockout, the federal government intervened in the labour dispute between Air Canada and the union representing its flight attendants on Saturday, sending employees back to work and ordering binding arbitration. Coelho speaks with aviation expert John Gradek about how the lingering travel disruptions may affect you, and what this move signals about the government's approach to workers. The past and future of Canada's parks as climate change changes them Big crowds are heading to Canada's parks this summer, thanks to both a Donald Trump-driven decline in Canadians heading south, and the Canada Strong Pass, which allows free access to national parks. But more visitors also raise concerns about park protection and conservation, while wildfires and woods bans have restricted some from visiting them at all. Alan MacEachern is a Canadian history professor at Western University, who focuses on environmental and climate history. He joins Coelho to reflect on how our parks evolved, who they're for, and what their future may hold in our ever-warming world. Memories of Vietnam, 50 years after the war This year marks the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War. The conflict led to more than one million people fleeing the war-torn countries of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. Canada accepted approximately 200,000 refugees from the region between 1975 and the 1990s. Canadian author Vinh Nguyen was among them. He speaks with Piya Chattopadhyay about retracing his family's journey in his memoir The Migrant Rain Falls in Reverse, and how this moment in history resonates with diasporic experiences today.
