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Maine high school sophomore transgender runner, 16, dominates girls' races and rises to 4th in rankings - after coming 172nd while racing as a boy

A trans high school sophomore in Maine has faced criticism for competing in the girls' 5k cross-country competition, despite running last year as a boy.

Soren Stark-Chessa, a pupil at the private Maine Coast Waldorf School in Freeport, was ranked 172nd in the district as a freshman in the boy's competition.

Over the course of the last year, Stark-Chessa transitioned, and now, as a sophomore, races in the girls' competitions - where she is ranked fourth.

On Saturday, Stark-Chessa competed in the Maine XC Festival of Champions, in Belfast, and finished fifth.

As Stark-Chessa sprinted to the finish, in a time of 5:51:3, one person can be heard yelling: 'Way to cheat, bro!'

The Daily Mail describes the scene at the finish line as one of “fury”, but that anger seems to have been confined to just a few parents and disgruntled female competitors; the boy’s atheletic diredctor was far more in tune with Maine’s new population’s spirit of understanding and love:

“We support all our students at Maine Coast Waldorf School, and are proud that our students are given the opportunity to participate in all of our school programs,' said Susan Sonntag.

Sonntag said that the school adheres to the Maine law prohibiting 'Unlawful educational discrimination'.”