Sports

Auggie

(32,515 posts) Thu Jun 5, 2025, 08:50 AM Jun 5

16-year-old stripped of state championship over celebration [View all]

A 16-year-old athlete from North Salinas High School was disqualified from the California Interscholastic Federation State Championships in Clovis (Fresno County) on Saturday over a post-race celebration that officials deemed unsportsmanlike, stripping her of her state title in the 400-meter event.

Clara Adams, a sophomore and heavy favorite in both the 400- and 200-meter races, had just clinched victory in the 400 final with a time of 53.24 seconds when she ran off the track to celebrate with her coach and father David Adams, according to the Monterey Herald.

In a tribute to Olympic gold medalist Maurice Greene, Clara sprayed her shoes with a fire extinguisher — mimicking the celebration the sprinter popularized.

Though the crowd and even the CIF broadcast booth appeared to cheer the moment, meet officials quickly disqualified Adams — barring her from the podium and disqualifying her from the rest of the meet, including the 200-meter final.

https://eedition.sfchronicle.com/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?pubname=&pubid=c125557b-9f70-4756-bc51-268770939d87&id=63485914-ef91-470c-8a41-dd37c84db994

According to the link, Adams left the meet without a medal. She was the fastest 400-meter runner in California this season. In 20 years of state championships, no other disqualification for unsportsmanlike conduct has been recorded.

This is so wrong. A warning would have sufficed. She's 16.

44 replies

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16-year-old stripped of state championship over celebration [View all] Auggie Jun 5 OP

This is something that ANT would do... LakeVermilion Jun 5 #1

I bet the officials were GOPers who looked a lot like me or my wife. We aren't GOPers, though. marble falls Jun 5 #6

That was pretty darn tame. I hope that official can't sleep at night for a while. Just unfair and over the top. marble falls Jun 5 #2

Apologies for not mentioning the firewall Auggie Jun 5 #4

No problems! It ain't you, it's news sources expecting us to subscribe to 50 different news sources.! marble falls Jun 5 #5

"News sources expecting us to subscribe to 50 different news sources." sop Jun 5 #7

That's part of high school sports... appmanga Jun 5 #17

The celebration was not over the top. Period. marble falls Jun 5 #18

When you use a prop in a celebration in high school... appmanga Jun 5 #20

It's not perfect, but you can almost always use archive.ph ;) LauraInLA Jun 5 #30

How utterly stupid Jilly_in_VA Jun 5 #3

It's disrespectful and ignorant as hell NoRethugFriends Jun 5 #8

She was egged on by her father. He handed her the extinguisher. Auggie Jun 5 #10

The problem with a "warning" is that everyone doing it subsequently will think there are no consequences. Renew Deal Jun 5 #29

Did her dad buy an extinguisher to use, or liberate it from the facilities? Bernardo de La Paz Jun 5 #26

Maybe he brought his on Butterflylady Jun 5 #31

FCO, this isn't the Olympics, let the kid have her day...... Butterflylady Jun 5 #27

Well, actually, I'll take my advice ... NoRethugFriends Jun 5 #33

the spanish inquisition vs uppity sophomore Tetrachloride Jun 5 #9

I think you need a little more research on what the Spanish Inquisition was NoRethugFriends Jun 5 #16

god said no Tetrachloride Jun 5 #34

Searched to see if reinstated, nope. However at least one media source -- FOX -- had to bring in transgender Silent Type Jun 5 #11

I haven't officiated high school sports for a while... appmanga Jun 5 #19

The father is a big part of the problem Renew Deal Jun 5 #28

She competed. She won. Does whoever came in second really... dchill Jun 5 #12

A little cocky LittleGirl Jun 5 #13

Cocky? happy feet Jun 5 #15

Yes, her and her father's bringing out the fire extinguisher LittleGirl Jun 5 #21

You are supposed to learn sportsmanship at the high school level LisaM Jun 5 #36

Running while Black Cirsium Jun 5 #23

I'm sure that contributed to this, no doubt. LittleGirl Jun 5 #37

Male analogy? Couldn't say "brazen", "brash", ... ? . . . nt Bernardo de La Paz Jun 5 #32

A warning or slap on the wrist would have sufficed. Fil1957 Jun 5 #14

Unsportsmanlike. Squaredeal Jun 5 #22

Personally, I think the officials were petty. It's not as if she did it on the track or taunted LoisB Jun 5 #24

It is what it is Renew Deal Jun 5 #25

Sorry folks,... Wuddles440 Jun 5 #35

No. Let her keep the medal. She trained hard for it. Auggie Jun 5 #39

Just because... Wuddles440 Jun 5 #40

I wanted to add a little context, as someone who grew up in north Monterey County, area know as Prunedale, the sticks, cksmithy Jun 5 #38

Thank you Cirsium Jun 5 #42

She deserved the punishment. Perhaps this will be the best piece of education she gets - learning Wonder Why Jun 5 #41

Charming Cirsium Jun 5 #43

Can't Believe The Number Of Folks... ProfessorGAC Jun 6 #44