Jaylin Liu, formerly known as Joshua, the sibling of Olympic figure skater Alysa Liu, is reportedly dominating California high school girls' athletic events. Jaylin competes in track and field, varsity basketball, and ultimate frisbee for both Albany High School and El Cerrito High School.
In track and field, Jaylin has secured first-place finishes in the 200-meter and 400-meter races at meets entered by Albany High School. In May, Jaylin won the Tri-County Athletic League Finals and achieved eight first-place finishes across seasonal meets in 2025, including a gold medal in the 200-meter race at the 2025 Tri-County Athletic League Frosh-Soph Championship.
Jaylin's performance has been described as "extremely dominant." However, Jaylin's participation in girls' sports has drawn criticism from women's sports advocacy organizations. Marshi Smith of the Independent Council on Women’s Sports stated that the Liu family represents "two opposing forces: the pinnacle of excellence in female sports and, at the same time, a profound threat to the integrity of those sports."
A representative from HeCheated, an organization that archives the impact of male participation in female-only sports, commented on the challenging position Jaylin's participation creates for Alysa Liu. "Alysa’s achievements are the result of years of dedication and hard work beginning in childhood. By contrast, her brother’s recent personal ambitions threaten to undermine the same developmental pathways that so many girls depend on to blaze their own trails to greatness," the representative said. They added that rules allowing transgender girls into female sports can force female athletes into difficult positions, potentially torn between supporting fairness in athletics and supporting a family member.
Jaylin reportedly watched his sister Alysa compete in the 2026 Winter Olympic Games. Alysa Liu, who currently attends UCLA, won two gold medals in women's individual singles and the team event. Jaylin's transition and athletic participation come at a time when transgender athletes' involvement in women's sports has become a significant topic of discussion and policy debate in the United States. Alysa Liu has previously expressed general concerns about the country's direction, stating in an interview that it is "really important also to notice the faults in our own government."