Athena Ryan is an American transgender runner from the Sonoma Academy
Find out more about her.
Athena Ryan, a remarkable transgender student from Sonoma Academy, has garnered significant attention due to her impressive achievement in the varsity girl 1,600-meter run during the highly competitive North Coast Meet of Champions in California.
Who is Athena Ryan transgender runner of Sonoma Academy who competed in girl’s run in California
🏃Trans-identifying male, Athena Ryan (Jr) took 2nd today in the “Girls 1600m” at a CA State Championship qualifier meet in Dublin, CA.
Ryan beamed while 4th place senior, Adeline Johnson gave a thumb down after losing the chance to advance to the State Championships by 1 spot. pic.twitter.com/iY2InxvhJt
— ICONS (@icons_women) May 21, 2023
A male identifying as a female, Athena Ryan took 🥈 place in the Girls 1600m at CA State Championship qualifier. This knocked senior Adeline Johnson into 4th place losing her spot 2 advance. Adeline did this…👎🏻
They’re STEALING from your DAUGHTERS 🤬pic.twitter.com/OJRWfXd6I8
— ♥️🇺🇸 𝓒𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓪 🇮🇹♥️ (@CB618444) May 23, 2023
The thrilling event unfolded on Saturday, May 20, 2023, and saw Athena secure an admirable second-place finish. However, her win also sparked huge controversy. While many people on the internet praised Athena for his achievements, it also sparked a wave of backlash among certain people.
Several users voiced their displeasure, saying that Athena Ryan’s triumph was unfair to the other female competitors. These dissenting opinions addressed questions regarding fairness and justice in sporting contests, especially with regard to transgender athletes.
They also emphasized the fact that Adeline Johnson, who finished the competition in fourth place, even gave a thumbs-down. While she actually appears to be giving someone the thumbs down in the footage, it’s unclear exactly who.
Since then, Athena Ryan has become a hot topic of debate all around the world, with many people trying to find out more about her. So, here’s what we know about her:
Who is Athena Ryan?
Athena Ryan, a transgender female who is a biological male and junior from Sonoma Academy, claimed the silver medal in the varsity girl’s 1600-meter run.
Athena Ryan is an American runner known for her transgender identity. She has been in the news because her win at the North Coast Meet of Champions faced backlash.
She decided to go from being a man to a woman and join the girls’ squad. She then showed amazing skill in the varsity girls’ 1,600-meter run finals. Her exceptional effort earned him a spot in the forthcoming California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) State Track and Field Championships after she won the silver medal in the competition on Saturday.
However, Athena Ryan’s victory also meant that Adeline Johnson, a senior competitor who placed fourth, would not be advancing to the state championships, marking the end of her high school track and field career.
The inclusion of transgender athletes in sports has raised concerns surrounding fairness, prompting some states and sports associations to implement bans on their participation.
The worldwide governing organization for track and field, World Athletics, recently made the announcement that transgender women who experienced male puberty would no longer be allowed to compete in women’s sports in international tournaments.
Similar to this, the NCAA revised its guidelines for transgender student-athlete participation in collegiate sports in January of the prior year. According to the revised guideline, transgender athletes must now submit proof of their testosterone levels three times every season.