- Trans high school runner Verónica García won a state title in the girls’ 400 meters
- Garcia finished 1 second ahead of the first biologically female runner, Lauren Matthews.
- Following Garcia’s victory, Riley Gaines, an anti-trans activist, criticized the result.
A transgender teen athlete was booed as she took her first place on the podium after winning the 400-meter dash at the Washington State Championships on Saturday.
Veronica Garcia, a transgender high school runner from the East Valley School District in Spokane, Washington, finished with a time of 55.75, a full second ahead of the first biologically female runner.
West Valley School District’s Lauren Matthew didn’t have the power to follow a second behind Garcia with a time of 56.75.
Although there were cheers as participants crossed the finish line, it was when Garcia took the podium that the boos and jeers could be clearly heard at the WIAA State Championships in Tacoma, Washington.
Trans high school runner Veronica Garcia won the girls’ 400-meter race in the 2A division at the WIAA State Championships in Tacoma, Washington, one second ahead of her rival.
Garcia could be seen pulling ahead of her female rivals and seemed to take things in her stride as she crossed the finish line.
When García took the podium, there was no applause for her. Only boos are heard
When the host announced Matthew’s name, all the girls gathered in the stadium and applauded and cheered for his respectable second place finish.
But when first place was awarded to García there was virtual silence in the stadium.
His fellow runners stood on the podium in complete silence with their hands behind their backs.
In a clear sign of disapproval, there was a stunned silence among the crowd until someone was heard shouting Veronica’s name, to which she gave a thumbs up.
It’s the latest in a string of wins for Garcia, who appears to be performing much better than when he competed on the men’s team.
Last month she finished 13th out of 152 girls at the Washington State 2A Championships following a cross country meet.
But last year, García could only occupy position 164 out of 172 in the men’s 5,000 m at a regional championship held in the fall.
Washington State Public Schools specify that all students participating in physical education and athletics may participate in the category that corresponds to their gender identity without needing to present evidence of a medical transition.
Following Garcia’s victory, Riley Gaines, a former NCAA swimmer who campaigns against allowing trans athletes to compete in women’s sports, took to social media.
Washington State runner Veronica Garcia, aka Davina Brown, aka Donovan Brown, won the 1600 Sprint Medley Relay last month.
Veronica Garcia, left, is seen helping East Valley High School win a girls district team title this season.
Veronica Garcia also helped East Valley HS win a girls district team title this season. She is seen in first place on the podium with glasses.
On Saturday night, following Garcia’s victory, Riley Gaines, a former NCAA swimmer who campaigns against allowing trans athletes to compete in women’s sports, took to social media and posted a video of the career.
‘Would you look at that?… what never happens happened again.
“Verónica García (Donovan Brown) just won the Washington State Championship in the women’s 400 meters in total dominance.”
Gaines became an anti-trans activist after tying for fifth place with transgender swimmer Lia Thomas in a 2022 swim meet. However, Thomas was awarded the trophy over Gaines.
The Kentucky swimmer has since joined forces with a dozen college athletes who filed a lawsuit against the NCAA on Thursday, accusing it of violating their Title IX rights by allowing Thomas to compete in the meet.