Latest news with #LelaniLaruelle
The Sun
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Sun
AB Hernandez grins on podium as trans athlete wins state championship despite ‘violent' protests over competition
TRANS athlete AB Hernandez was seen grinning and flaunting medals after defeating female rivals at the California state track championship. Hernandez claimed gold in the high jump and triple jump at the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) state finals - defying Donald Trump 's executive order that bans trans athletes from women's sports. 9 9 9 9 9 Violent protests erupted yesterday as the trans pupil, 16, sparked a heated row after competing in women's sports. Trump had said on social media that he was 'ordering local authorities, if necessary, to not allow' Hernandez to compete. But the CIF this week introduced a new policy that allowed an additional student to compete and win medals in the events where Hernandez qualified. This is why the trans athlete shared winning spots with at least one female rival. Hernandez claimed tied-first place in the varsity high jump final alongside Lelani Laruelle and Jillene Wetteland - both females. The trans athlete later won another first-place in the triple jump, sharing the top spot with Kira Gant Hatcher - who trailed by just over a half-meter. But the sports row surrounding Hernandez took a dramatic turn yesterday after furious protesters gathered around the stadium to denounce the trans teen. They were seen carrying placards and boards outside the Veterans' Memorial Stadium, where the sporting event took place. A banner reading "NO BOYS IN GIRLS' SPORTS!" was flown above the sporting venue during the high school track-and-field championships. Trump rips into boxer Imane Khelif about controversial Olympics win against Angela Carini The protests quickly turned violent after one person was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, Clovis police Sgt. Chris Hutchison told the Chronicle. He said the person - understood to be an LGBTQ activist - allegedly used a Pride flag to smash a car window, leaving a person injured. During the heats, furious high school parents berated Hernandez's mother for the trans athlete's dominant victory. The video, which has now gone viral on TikTok, shows the parents hounding Hernandez's mother for allowing the teen to compete. One of the parents can be heard yelling at the mother: "What a coward of a woman you are allowing that." Hernandez's story previously made headlines after another teenage girl, who the athlete beat to first place in a separate contest, waited for Hernandez to descend from the podium before moving to pose in the top spot. In the TikTok, the parent can also be heard shouting: "Your mental illness is on your son, coward." 9 9 More than half of the US states have implemented bans on trans youth athletes participating since 2020. But California state law allows the participation of trans women and girls in women's sports. Trump posted on Truth Social: "Please be hereby advised that large scale Federal Funding will be held back, maybe permanently, if the Executive Order on this subject matter is not adhered to." His message refers to an Executive Order from February titled "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports". In an interview with Capital & Main, Hernandez, from Jurupa Valley, California, said: "There's nothing I can do about people's actions, just focus on my own." The trans pupil faced heckling and protesters in the crowd at a track meet earlier this month and was accompanied by campus security and Sheriff's Department deputies, CNN has reported. 9
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Trans athlete AB Hernandez slammed by protestors after beating female peers in California championship finals
Transgender woman AB Hernandez sparked outrage as she leapt to victory against her female peers at the California high school championships Saturday. Hernandez, 17, claimed gold in the high jump and triple jump at the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) state finals, facing criticism from protestors and parents as she stormed to victory under a new rule change. The CIF had announced a new policy earlier this week in response to backlash surrounding Hernandez's success heading into the championships. Under the change, the federation allowed an additional student to compete and medal in the events where Hernandez qualified, meaning she shared her finish with at least one other competitor in all three events. Hernandez claimed tied-first place in the varsity high jump final, sharing the spot atop the podium with female competitors Lelani Laruelle and Jillene Wetteland. The trio cleared the 5' 7" mark to split the gold medal three ways, while Julia Teven to settle for third. She later wrapped up the night with another first-place finish, this time in the triple jump. She again shared the top spot with Kira Gant Hatcher, who trailed by just over a half-meter. Earlier in the afternoon, she could only manage a second-place finish in the long jump event after her jump of 20' 8¾" fell just short of the winning 21' 0¼" mark set by Loren Webster. Hernandez beamed as she posed alongside co-second Brooke White. The dramatic row surrounding Hernandez's participation had sparked fury across the U.S., with President Donald Trump even threatening to hold back 'large scale Federal Funding' and blasting the state governor who he claims has continued to 'ILLEGALLY allow "MEN TO PLAY IN WOMEN'S SPORTS"'. In February, Trump signed an executive order banning trans athletes from women's sports called 'Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports'. Both Hernandez and her mother Nereyda refused to comment on the president's furious response when asked by following the finals. In previous meets, Hernandez has faced controversy from her own competitors - with a teenage girl she beat to first place waiting for her rival to get down from the top of the podium before posing up there herself. Meanwhile, her mom has been confronted by angry parents whose daughters are losing out on gold medals as a result. Ahead of Saturday's championships, Hernandez and her escort traipsed past protestors who had once again voiced their outrage against the athlete's participation. The demonstrators, who were forced to carry out their protest outside the stadium due to the CIF's rules, carried signs sayings 'NO DUDES IN GIRLS SPACES' and 'NO CHILD IS BORN IN THE WRONG BODY.' Despite the CIF's ban on banners and signs inside the ground, the message of the protestors could be heard over the fence. 'No guys in girls sports,' one man's shout was blasted through a megaphone as Hernandez made her first jump, which she shockingly scratched. Yet, Hernandez wasn't to be deterred. Brushing off the interruption, she bounced back to form, going on to cruise to her two golds and silver medal. However, protestor Beth Bourne, 55, from Davis, California, insisted that her outrage wasn't directed at Hernandez, but rather her mother. 'I feel huge compassion for this young man, this boy, he's 17 years old,' Bourne, a member of the 'Moms for Liberty Yolo County' group, told 'He has a mother who's been duped to believe that her child could be born in the wrong body. 'Many of these feminine boys could grow up to be gay, healthy men. AB Hernandez enjoys wearing makeup, long hair, dresses. His mother believes that rather than letting her son grow up to be a gay boy, that he could be a trans woman, right? So if you have a mother who is affirming a young boy to believe that he could grow up to be a woman.' 'We want to protect his body,' Bourne added. 'We do not want him to be a medical experiment. We don't want him to lose his healthy sexual organs. We don't want him to put on estrogen or puberty blockers that will sterilize him. 'It's an unfolding medical scandal and it's okay to say that every child is perfect in their body. It is not transphobic. It is not hateful. It is not bigoted.' Hernandez sealed her place in three finals after coming out on top in all of her preliminary heats on Friday - despite the shocking scenes outside the stadium. Meanwhile, Hernandez's mom has been branded 'evil' by conservative women's advocate Riley Gaines, in an interview with Gaines pulled no punches when she slammed 'progressives' including Democratic California Governor Gavin Newsom - who she dubbed a 'slimy car salesman' and 'spineless coward' - for enabling biologically born boys to participate in sports alongside girls. She also called out 'crazy unhinged trans activists' for creating chaos. 'His mom is a pretty evil person,' Gaines said. 'I believe she is using her son to live out some fantasy or dream that maybe she had. 'She has lied to AB in affirming his identity - the total façade - and in the process has harmed real women. I have empathy for AB. He's a victim as well. But that doesn't give him the right to trample on women in the process to fulfill his happiness. 'AB Hernandez is of course not the first boy to compete in the state of California - whether it's track and field, whatever sport it may be. He is following the rules. So I don't have any animosity or hatred or wish any sort of ill will on the boy. Ultimately, it's the rules that are the problem. 'Harm [is] being done because of his acceptance into women's sports and women's spaces. That's what has been relayed to me by many of the girls who have competed against AB. 'Sports are not about inclusion at the level he's competing. It's not about your feelings. It's about winning, to put it as bluntly as possible. Women aren't just a tool used to fulfill men's happiness. That's not what we are. Unfortunately, that's what women are being used for again. But we say enough. 'I'm not trying to rid anyone of opportunities. I believe every single person should play sports. But play in the categories that are safe and fair to everyone. 'We cannot prioritize inclusion over safety and fairness. That undermines the foundation of what sports were created to do.'
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Parents furious as trans athlete destroys female rivals in California championships despite Trump order
A transgender athlete continued to spark controversy as she leapt to victory and forced her female rivals to share the podium at the California state championships Saturday. AB Hernandez, who is a biological male, was flanked by an entourage of officials as she and her mother were escorted into the California Interscholastic Federation state finals, where the teenager competed in three events in defiance of Donald Trump and his executive order. The 17-year-old triggered a fresh wave of outrage from protestors and parents as she claimed tied-first place in the varsity high jump final, forcing female competitors Lelani Laruelle and Jillene Wetteland to share their spot atop the podium with her. The trio of competitors cleared the 5' 7" mark to split the gold medal three ways, forcing Julia Teven to settle for third. Meanwhile, Hernandez could only manage a second-place finish in the long jump event. She once again shared her spot on the podium after her jump of 20' 8¾" fell short of the winning 21' 0¼" mark set by Loren Webster. The dramatic row surrounding Hernandez's participation has sparked fury across the US, with Trump even threatening to hold back 'large scale Federal Funding' and blasting the state governor who he claims has continued to 'ILLEGALLY allow "MEN TO PLAY IN WOMEN'S SPORTS"'. In previous meets, Hernandez has faced controversy from her own competitors - with a teenage girl they beat to first place waited for her rival to get down from the top of the podium before posing up there herself. Meanwhile, her glamorous mother, Nereyda, has been confronted by angry parents whose daughters are losing out on gold medals as a result. And ahead of Saturday's championships, Hernandez and her escort traipsed past protestors who had once again descended on the state finals to voice their outrage against the controversial young athlete's participation. The demonstrators, who were forced to carry out their protest outside the stadium due to the CIF's rules, carried signs bearing messages of 'NO DUDES IN GIRLS SPACES' and 'NO CHILD IS BORN IN THE WRONG BODY.' Despite the CIF's ban on banners and signs inside the ground, the message of the protestors could be heard over the fence - reaching the ears of Hernandez as she began the long jump, her first event of the day. 'No guys in girls sports,' one man's shout was blasted through his megaphone, as Hernandez made her first jump, which she shockingly scratched. Organizers were forced to intervene pausing the event for five minutes as announcer called for 'respect' over the tannoy. 'Please show respect, be respectful, they said. 'We will continue to pause if this behavior continues.' However, protestor Beth Bourne, 55, from Davis, California, insisted that her outrage wasn't directed at Hernandez, but rather her mother. 'I feel huge compassion for this young man, this boy, he's 17 years old,' Bourne, a member of the 'Moms for Liberty Yolo County' group, told 'He has a mother who's been duped to believe that her child could be born in the wrong body. 'Many of these feminine boys could grow up to be gay, healthy men. AB Hernandez enjoys wearing makeup, long hair, dresses. 'His mother believes that rather than letting her son grow up to be a gay boy, that he could be a trans woman, right? So if you have a mother who is affirming a young boy to believe that he could grow up to be a woman. Bourne said that she had been a lifelong Democrat until turning red in last year's election after local Democratic groups failed to support her cause. 'We want to protect his body,' she added. 'We do not want him to be a medical experiment. We don't want him to lose his healthy sexual organs. We don't want him to put on estrogen or puberty blockers that will sterilize him. 'It's an unfolding medical scandal and it's okay to say that every child is perfect in their body. It is not transphobic. It is not hateful. It is not bigoted.' Hernandez sealed her place in three finals yesterday after coming out on top in all of her preliminary heats - despite the shocking scenes outside the stadium. Hernandez cleared the 5' 7" mark to split the gold medal three ways in high jump As protesters descended on the preliminary events police were dramatically called in - with protesters 'turning physical' and even using pepper spray. They arrested one alleged LGBTQ activist, who is accused of shattering a car window with a flag pole - as Sergeant Chris Hutchison of Clovis Police Department said he doesn't 'have room for violence.' Videos of the alleged attack show a masked protestor with a trans flag walking up to a car before thrusting it through the window. The person in the car claims that they responded with pepper spray. As the girls took to the field, a plane even flew a banner across the high school track-and-field championships stating 'No boys in girls sports'. While the girl competed she was heckled by gathered activists and others wore 'Save Girls´ Sports' T-shirts. In February, Trump signed an executive order banning trans athletes from women's sports called 'Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports'. The pledge was one of Trump's most popular rallying cries during the 2024 election campaign and his move to follow through on his vow was celebrated by many sports fans. Ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, the Department of Homeland Security has been ordered to 'reject any and all visa applications made by men attempting to fraudulently enter the United States while identifying as women athletes'. In March, World Athletics followed the President's example as president Sebastian Coe approved bombshell new measures to protect female athletes, introducing cheek swabbing to determine if an athlete is a biological woman. Hernandez's glamorous mother, who has also been confronted by angry parents whose daughters are losing out on gold medals, yesterday responded to the dramatic onslaught. She slammed the President's 'weapons of harm' and saying her daughter had become the 'target of a national campaign of cruelty'. Hernandez has previously faced controversy from her own competitors - with a teenage girl they beat to first place waited for her rival to get down from the top of the podium before posing up there herself.
