CA Teen Track Star Disqualified After Olympic-Inspired Celebration, Stripped of State Title [WATCH]

A high school athlete in California was disqualified and stripped of her state championship title after a celebratory gesture that paid tribute to an Olympic legend was deemed unsportsmanlike by meet officials, as reported by The New York Post.

Clara Adams, a sophomore at North Salinas High School, won the 400-meter race at the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) state finals held Saturday at Buchanan High School in Clovis.

Clara Adams breaks the CCS 400 meter record for North Salinas, clocking 53.23 pic.twitter.com/LvPrDk4B0Y

— John Devine (@JohnJDevine) May 25, 2025

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Adams, who clocked in at 53.24 seconds, celebrated the victory by running to the stands and using a fire extinguisher to theatrically spray her shoes — mimicking a move made famous by U.S. Olympic gold medalist Maurice Greene.

Give Clara Adams her state title back @CIFState pic.twitter.com/vapbP2Ukge

— Wilson (@_Smoogee) June 1, 2025

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The celebration, which took place after the race and away from competitors, was cheered by spectators. However, CIF officials ruled the gesture unsportsmanlike and disqualified Adams from the 400-meter final.

As a result, she was barred from participating in the 200-meter race later that day, where she had been a top contender.

“I don’t know what’s going through my mind right now,” Adams told the Mercury News. “I’m disappointed and I feel robbed. I am in shock. They yelled at me and told me, ‘We’re not letting you on the podium.’ They took my moment away from me.”

Adams’ father, David Adams — who also serves as her sprinting coach — criticized the decision, insisting that the celebration did not interfere with any other athletes.

“When she blew the fire extinguisher, the opponents were gone,” he said in an interview with KSBW. “That was our moment of celebration, and CIF officials made it about them.”

He added, “The crowd went crazy, they loved it. But those few guys in those jackets took offense to it, didn’t like it, and made a decision based off emotions.”

16-year-old Clara Adams was disqualified from the 400m state title after using a fire extinguisher in her celebration

A reenactment of Maurice Green’s iconic reaction from 2004

Are officials restricting athletes’ expression on the track? pic.twitter.com/ZJ4Yu6yhqH

— RoriDunk (@FitzDunk) June 3, 2025

Maurice Greene, who won gold in the 100-meter sprint and the 4×100-meter relay at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, weighed in on the controversy after learning about Adams’ celebration.

“If it was away from everyone and not interfering with anyone, I would say reinstate her,” Greene told the outlet.

Despite dominating the 400m race and previously winning at the Central Coast Section Championships and the Pacific Coast Athletic League Masters Meet, Adams left the state finals without a medal.

KSBW reported that there have been no similar disqualifications for unsportsmanlike conduct in the CIF over the past 20 years.

CIF’s official code of conduct encourages athletes to “be a good sport” and “show sincere respect in pre- and post-game rituals.” However, critics argue that Adams’ actions did not violate those guidelines and are now calling on CIF to reverse its decision.

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