By OLIVER SALT

Transgender high school athlete AB Hernandez has branded protests over her inclusion in female track events ‘weird’ amid outrage from furious parents.

Hernandez, who is a biological male, was met with fresh scrutiny after claiming gold in the high jump and triple jump at the California Interscholastic Federation state finals at the end of May.

In previous meets, the 17-year-old has faced a backlash from her own competitors while storming to frequent victories – with a teenage girl she beat to first place even waiting for her to get down from the top of the podium before posing up there herself.

And with the controversy showing no signs of slowing down, Hernandez has spoken out in an interview with Sacramento television station KCRA-3. 

‘It’s definitely crazy, I get a lot of hate comments but I’m like, “I don’t care,”‘ the track star said. ‘[I’m a] 16-year-old girl with a mad attitude. You think I’m going to care?’

She added about the protests: ‘It’s just weird at this point.’

Trans athlete AB Hernandez says protests over her inclusion in female track events are 'weird'

Trans athlete AB Hernandez says protests over her inclusion in female track events are ‘weird’

Hernandez finished tied-first place in the varsity high jump final on May 31, when she shared top spot with female rivals Lelani Laruelle and Jillene Wetteland.

She later wrapped up the night with another first-place finish, this time sharing the top spot with Kira Gant Hatcher, as rival parents and California residents continued their protests outside the venue.

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.’ 

The dramatic row surrounding Hernandez’s participation has sparked fury across the US, with president Donald Trump even threatening to hold back ‘large scale Federal Funding’ in California and blasting the state governor who he claims has continued to ‘ILLEGALLY allow “MEN TO PLAY IN WOMEN’S SPORTS”‘. 

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Defiant trans athlete AB Hernandez hits out at ‘weird’ protests from furious parents after pummeling girl rivals

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