Transgender High School Runner Booed After Winning State Title in Girls’ 200-Meter Race
A transgender high school runner won a state title over the weekend, but instead of receiving a rousing ovation, the athlete was met with a chorus of boos from spectators expressing their displeasure over the athlete’s participation in the event.
The incident occurred Saturday at the Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA) track and field championships in Eugene, where McDaniel High School sophomore Aayden Gallagher competed in the girls’ 200-meter finals.
Gallagher, initially trailing, made a late surge to finish first with a time of 23.82 seconds, narrowly beating the second-place runner. The victory was met with boos from the crowd.
The crowd’s disapproval continued as Gallagher received her award on the podium following the race.
Former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines, who competed against transgender swimmer Lia Thomas and has been a vocal critic of transgender women in sports, commented on the race and linked it to another controversial issue involving NFL kicker Harrison Butker.
“Just listen to the audible BOOS. People are over this … & it’s about time,” Gaines wrote on X. She added, “This past week, progressives were more outraged by a Catholic man emphasizing the importance of traditional values than a mediocre-at-best boy stealing a state championship from a deserving girl in Oregon.”
Despite the backlash, Gallagher’s participation is within the rules. The OSAA allows transgender athletes to compete in high school sports according to their gender identity.
Transgender High School Runner Booed After Winning State Title in Girls’ 200-Meter Race
