- Trans high school runner Veronica Garcia won a state title in the girls 400m
- Garcia finished 1 second ahead of the first biological runner, Lauren Matthew
- After Garcia’s victory, Riley Gaines, an anti-trans activist, criticized the result
A transgender teenage athlete was booed as she took first place on the podium after winning the 400 meters at the Washington state championship on Saturday.
Veronica Garcia, a transgender high school runner from 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 the participants crossed the finish line, it was when Garcia took the podium that the boos and jeers could be clearly heard during the state championship competition WIAA in Tacoma, Washington.
High school trans runner Veronica Garcia won the Division 2A girls 400m race at the WIAA state championship in Tacoma, Washington, by one second over her rival.
Garcia could be seen ahead of her female rivals and appeared to be taking matters into her own hands as she crossed the finish line.
When Garcia took the podium, there was no applause for her. We only heard boos
As the host announced Matthew’s name, all the girls gathered around the stadium and clapped and cheered for his respectable second place finish.
But as first place was awarded to Garcia, silence reigned in the stadium.
His fellow runners took to the podium in complete silence, hands behind their backs.
In a clear sign of disapproval, there was a stunned silence in the crowd until someone could be heard shouting Veronica’s name, to which she gave a thumbs up.
It’s the latest in a string of wins for Garcia that appears to be much better than when she competed on the boys team.
Last month, she finished 13th in a field of 152 girls at the Washington State 2A championships following a cross country meet.
But last year, Garcia only managed to place 164th out of 172 in the men’s 5,000 at a regional championship held in the fall.
Washington State Public Schools clarifies that all students who participate in physical education and athletics classes can participate in the category that corresponds to their gender identity without needing to demonstrate a medical transition.
After Garcia’s victory, Riley Gaines, a former NCAA swimmer who campaigns against allowing transgender athletes 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, helped East Valley High School win the girls district team title this season.
Veronica Garcia also helped East Valley HS win a girls district team title this season. We see her in first place on the podium with glasses
On Saturday night, after Garcia’s victory, Riley Gaines, a former NCAA swimmer who campaigns against allowing transgender athletes in women’s sports, took to social media and posted a video of the race.
“Would you look at this…the thing that doesn’t happen anymore has happened again.”
“Veronica Garcia (Donovan Brown) just won the Washington State championship in the women’s 400m in total domination.”
Gaines became an anti-trans activist after finishing tied for fifth place with transgender swimmer Lia Thomas at a swimming competition in 2022. However, Thomas was awarded the trophy over Gaines.
The Kentucky swimmer has since joined forces with a dozen college athletes who filed a lawsuit Thursday against the NCAA, accusing it of violating their Title IX rights by allowing Thomas to compete.
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