Warning: This article contains discussion of discrimination against the trans community which some readers may find distressing.
A 17-year-old trans athlete has issued a powerful message to her critics after she was booed for winning a track and field championship for the second consecutive year.
Verónica Garcia won the class 2A 400-meter sprint at Mount Tahoma High School, in Tacoma, Washington - roughly a 45-minute drive from Seattle - on Saturday (May 31).
While the East Valley High School student was stretching off prior to the race starting, a man who was wearing a shirt that read 'Save women's sports' on it with the American flag printed on it, could be heard antagonising the teen.
According to the Seattle Times, the man in question was sat close to the starting blocks and could be heard shouting 'girls race' and 'let's go girls' over and over.
Verónica beat her nearest competitor by just a full second, West Valley junior Lauren Matthew - who was seen holding a sign after the race that read: "Washington State Track and Field Real Girls 2A 400m Champion."
However, Verónica, whose time was 55.70 seconds, half a second faster than her score last year, issued a strong message to her critics while speaking with the Seattle Times.
"I’ll be honest, I kind of expect it," she explained.
"But it maybe didn’t have their intended effect. It made me angry, but not angry as in, I wanted to give up, but angry as in, I’m going to push.
"I’m going to put this in the most PG-13 way, I’m just going to say it’s a damn shame they don’t have anything else better to do. I hope they get a life. But oh well. It just shows who they are as people."
She continued: "I’m really proud of myself. I did what I came to do, and that’s good enough for me.
"One of the things that Martin Luther King always pointed out is that you have to do what’s right. Even if there comes risk, you still have to do what’s right."
Meanwhile, Lauren, who took home second place, told Spokesman-Review after the race: "I shouldn’t have to push myself to the point of where I’m about to, like, die in order to win.
"I know I’m gonna push myself to keep going, but I don’t want a man pushing me to have to go", she added, misgendering Garcia.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact the LGBT national hotline at 888-843-4564, available Monday to Friday 4pm-12am ET and 12pm-5pm ET on Saturdays.