Caitlyn Jenner is calling for action after a transgender athlete clinched a second-place medal in a California track and field competition over the weekend.
Athena Ryan, a transgender female from Sonoma Academy junior, sprinted to second on Saturday in the varsity girls' 1,600-meter run at the North Coast Meet of Champions of California finals, edging out Adeline Johnson, a senior at the Branson High School who came in fourth place, according to the New York Post.
As a result, Johnson will not advance through to the California Interscholastic Federation State Track & Field Championships next week.
Taking to Twitter, Jenner, a former Olympic athlete who transitioned in 2015, spoke out against Ryan's participation.
"As 'somewhat' of a track star myself, and a trans person, THIS IS WRONG!!! HELP ME PUSH BACK!" Jenner wrote in a tweet that included a link to a political action committee, Fairness First.
"And FYA trans ppl you are being used by the radical gender ideology cult as political pawns. That's all you are to them," added Jenner, 73.
Ryan, who qualified for the California Interscholastic Federation State Track & Field Championships after finishing up in the top three with a 4:55.91 time, spoke about her results with MileSplit after the meet.
"I dropped like 17 seconds on my season's best in the past two weeks. After last weekend, I didn't think I could run low 5s again. I was just coming here trying to break 5 — just glad I finished it out," she said.
Johnson, meanwhile, sparked debate after video and images from the podium placing ceremony in Dublin, California, went viral showing her giving a thumbs-down gesture. Her school later clarified that the gesture was about her own performance.
"The 'thumbs-down' gesture made by Branson runner Adeline Johnson on the infield at the NCS Meet of Champions on May 20, 2023 was a response to her mother regarding Adeline's individual performance, and it should not be construed as a statement about her competitors," Assistant Head of School Nathalio Gray told The Post in a statement.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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