An Oregon high school is facing renewed debate after a transgender athlete won multiple races in a girls’ track competition.
At the 2024 6A-1 Portland Interscholastic League Championship, 10th-grader Aayden Gallagher, now known as Ada, competed for McDaniel High School in Portland. Gallagher won both the 200m and 400m races, finishing well ahead of the competition.
A year later, Gallagher was seen winning again. In Wednesday’s races, Gallagher won the 200m by more than 1.5 seconds and the 400m by nearly 10 seconds. In the women’s varsity 400m event, the 16-year-old finished in 57.62 seconds, a season-best time. The second-place runner, Kinnaly Souphanthong, finished at 1:05.72.
Gallagher also set a season record in the 200m race, crossing the finish line in 25.76 seconds. Footage of the races circulated online, leading to strong reactions from some, including former swimmer Riley Gaines.
Gaines shared her thoughts on social media, criticizing Gallagher’s participation in the girls’ category. She questioned whether Gallagher or the athlete’s parents felt any concern about competing.
The discussion comes amid national conversations about transgender athletes in sports. After returning to office for a second term, former President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled “Keeping Men out of Women’s Sports.”
The order states that allowing male athletes to compete in women’s sports is unfair and takes away opportunities from female athletes. It argues that such policies negatively impact fairness and safety in competition.
Gallagher has addressed the controversy in an NCSA college recruiting profile, stating that they continue to compete despite facing criticism. The profile describes Gallagher as being 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighing 155 pounds.
The Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA) has a policy on gender identity participation, stating that students can compete in sports based on their consistently asserted gender identity. The organization says the rule is meant to ensure fair competition while increasing student participation.
In 2023, Gallagher spoke about future plans in an interview with a high school newspaper, sharing plans to begin hormone replacement therapy. Gallagher said that starting treatment would help build confidence and feel more comfortable.