The Oregon high school that faced scrutiny last year for allowing a transgender athlete to compete in girls' track events continues to draw attention as its standout runner, Ada Gallagher, remains a force to be reckoned with.
Gallagher, now an 11th-grader at McDaniel High School in Portland, delivered at a recent Portland Interscholastic League meet, writes New York Post.
Competing in the 400-meter race, Gallagher finished with a time of 57.62 seconds—more than seven seconds ahead of Kinnaly Souphanthong who came in second.
In the 200-meter event, Gallagher also took first place, clocking in at 25.76 seconds, followed by teammate Addyson Skyles at 27.31 seconds. Both times marked season-best records for Gallagher.
Social Media Reactions and Policy Debates
As videos of Gallagher’s performances spread across social media, reactions poured in.
Some users expressed frustration, with one commenter stating, “That experience must be so demoralizing for those girls.” Another added, “The girls should all just start refusing to run, and it will soon end.”
Oregon’s school sports policies allow transgender athletes to compete according to their gender identity.
The Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA), which governs high school athletics, has a policy ensuring that “students may participate in athletic or activity programs based on their consistently asserted gender identity while maintaining a fair and safe environment for all students.”
The controversy surrounding transgender athletes in women’s sports has been a national flashpoint, particularly after former President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 14201, also known as “Keeping Men out of Women’s Sports.”s The order aims to “protect female student-athletes in the women’s category from having to compete with or against males.”
Following Trump’s directive, Oregon Republicans have signaled their intent to challenge current policies.
House Minority Leader Christine Drazan voiced strong support for legislative changes, stating, “Women have fought for—and earned—respect and support for themselves in sports and have made incredible gains in doing so. We must defend that progress and stand up for fairness.”
As the debate over transgender participation in high school athletics continues, Gallagher’s performances remain at the center of a broader national conversation about competition, fairness, and inclusion in sports.
