‘Encouraged and celebrated cheating’: Biological male takes 2nd in girls’ track events

A biological male in Oregon placed second in the girls’ 200-meter and 400-meter race at the Sherwood Need for Speed Invitational.

Aayden Gallegher, a 10th grader at McDaniel High School, went viral after a video showed him blowing past the female competitors in the first heat of the 200-meter.

“Great knees, great drive,” the announcer is heard saying in the video.  

Gallegher finished with a time of 25:49, good enough for 2nd overall and the fifth fastest time ever recorded in the state in the girls’ division. 

In comparison, had Gallegher run in the boys’ division, he would have placed 61st out of 66.  

In the 400-meter race, Gallegher again placed 2nd in the girls’ category with a time of 55:61, the fourth fastest time ever in the state’s girls’ division.  

That time would have only been good for 46th out of 58 in boys’ division. 

Gallegher also competed with his school in the girls’ 4×100 relay and 4×400 relay.  

Women’s sports advocate Riley Gaines condemned the decision to allow a biological male to compete in girls’ category, calling it “encouraged AND celebrated cheating.”  

“Let’s call this what it is: encouraged AND celebrated cheating at the hands of the ‘adults’ in the room,” Gaines posted on X. “So many fingers to point, but shame on the parents, the school, the boy, our weak administration, and @OssaSports.”  

In accordance with the Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA) handbook, students are allowed to participate in “gender-specific” teams based on their gender identity, regardless of biological sex. 

“The OSAA endeavors to allow students to participate in the athletic or activity program of their consistently asserted gender identity while providing a fair and safe environment for all students,” the handbook states.  

Additionally, OSAA rules state that “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.”  

Last month, over a dozen female athletes sued the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) for allowing biological male athletes to compete as women and use women’s locker rooms.  

“We’re not just fighting for ourselves, we’re fighting for every young girl who dreams of competing in sports,” Gaines said in an ICONS press release. “I’m thankful for ICONS’ commitment to our cause, especially their financial commitment, allowing us to take this to court. I urge anyone who cares about protecting women’s sport to help get behind us.” 

Shortly following the lawsuit, The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) banned biological males from competing in virtually all of its women’s sports, citing concerns about fairness. 

“For us, we believed our first responsibility was to create fairness and competition in the NAIA,” the organizations president, Jim Carr, told CBS News. “We also think it aligns with the reasons Title IX was created. You’re allowed to have separate but equal opportunities for women to compete.”