Transgender high school runner excels in competition against female athletes in Oregon

A transgender athlete and Oregon high school student is going viral after flying past the competition Saturday in a blowout win during a filmed heat of a varsity track event.

McDaniel High School sophomore Aayden Gallagher, the transgender student-athlete, ultimately came in second place in the Girls 200 Meter Varsity at the Sherwood Need for Speed Classic.

However, during the heat, Gallagher finished in 25.49 seconds, while the majority of the female athletes finished in 30 seconds.

Footage of the event went viral on X after it was shared by Reduxx, which has since been removed, and by Libs of TikTok.

Transgender athletes are protected under the current guidelines of the Oregon School Activities Association, which “endeavors to allow students to participate for the athletic or activity program of their consistently asserted gender identity while providing a fair and safe environment for all students.”

Athletes will be treated according to their preferred gender after they have notified school officials about their transition, according to the OSAA.

“When a student registers for athletics or activities the student shall indicate the student’s gender during that registration process, consistent with other school enrollment procedures. Athletics and activities personnel should refer to member school processes for registration/enrollment information,” the current policy says.

“[Once] a transgender student has notified the student’s school of their gender identity, the student shall be consistently treated as that gender for purposes of eligibility for athletics and activities, provided that if the student has tried out or participated in an activity, the student may not participate during that same season on a team of the other gender.”

Gallagher’s performance has been criticized across the X platform.

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“This video is insane. How can ANYONE think this is fair? These girls came from all over the state to compete in this event and this is what they got- being beat by a boy,” one mother and political advocate argued. “@OSAASports- shame on you for allowing this.”

“At some point, we have to all be willing to see this for what it is,” USA Track and Field veteran Carilyn Johnson posted. “Please stop pretending like this is anything other than telling young female athletes they don’t matter.”