Press conference slated Friday for California track athlete stripped of gold for fire extinguisher celebration

Almost a week after disqualification over "unsportsmanlike" celebration, North Salinas sophomore Clara Harris would trade the global attention she's receiving for the medal she earned

North Salinas track star Clara Harris (left) and her father David Harris talk to KSBW8 news reporter Jake Flores / Courtesy KSBW8 Action News

A press conference is scheduled for 11 a.m. (PDT) Friday at North Salinas High School to address the disqualification of sophomore Clara Adams at Saturday’s California (CIF) State Track and Field Championships in Clovis. 

The Salinas Union High School District Superintendent, the city’s major and a member of the NAACP are all expected to speak about Adams’ first-place finish in the 400-meter dash, her victory celebration that involved a fire extinguisher and the DQ that stripped her of the title — and a chance to run in the 200 finals — along with the aftermath of one of the most talked about decisions in recent high school sports history.

This at a meet that drew considerable national media attention, including the ire of President Trump, for the participation of transgender athlete.

STORY: Transgender athlete AB Hernandez takes home two first-place, one second-place medal

Adams told the Monterey Herald that she’s done interviews with CNN, TMZ and Fox News since Saturday, all with the hopes of getting back the first-place medal she earned by sprinting one time around the Buchanan High School track in 53.24 seconds. 

The way track and field meets are officiated and decided, that seems unlikely. 

“This attention has helped me, has exposed me as an athlete,” Adams told John Devine of the Monterey Herald. “But at the same time, I’d love to get my title back. If I had known a celebration with my dad would get me disqualified, I wouldn’t have done it.” 

WHAT HAPPENED

Adams, who set a Central Coast Section championship meet record the week before with the state meet’s top qualifying mark at 53.23, held off one major challenger — St. Mary’s Academy senior Madison Mosby — to win Saturday’s state finals going away, 53.24 to 53.52. As a freshman, she placed fourth at state in the event.  

CELEBRATION DQ | A 16-year-old sprinter from North Salinas High School was disqualified from the CIF State Championships after winning the 400-meter state final due to her post-race celebration involving a fire extinguisher.

Read more: https://t.co/szcQ5PjxqE pic.twitter.com/8ddHFq42fu

— KSBW Action News 8 (@ksbw) June 3, 2025

After crossing the line and slowing to a stop about 10 meters after the line, she walked strongly in her lane back to the finish line, clapping her hands. She eventually reached into the stands to grab a small fire extinguisher from her father/North Salinas sprint coach David Adams to reenact — as many at other levels have followed since then — the 2004 celebration of four-time Olympic sprint medalist Maurice Greene when he won the 100-meter dash at the Home Depot Invitational. 

Unlike Greene, who sprayed his shoes with the retardant on the track, Adams took the extinguisher to the infield, away from other athletes, and quickly sprayed her shoes. Video tape shows the entire spray took about the same time as her margin of victory — less than a second. 

Meet officials immediately detained Adams, the meet referee disqualified for “unsporting conduct,” and awarded first place to Mosby. North Salinas coaches immediately appealed the decision but according to CIF officials, a jury of appeals at the meet, upheld the DQ. At that point, historically, there's no turning back.

Because the celebration was deemed unsportsmanlike, she was disqualified from the meet. She wasn’t allowed to run the 200, where ranked second from Friday’s trials at 23.71, a time that tied for third on Saturday. 

“She was trying to have some fun at the finish line after the 400,” North Salinas head coach Alan Green told Devine. “It was interpreted as unsportsmanlike. What an incredible season and run. It’s unfortunate.” 

HISTORY OF UNSPORTSMANLIKE DQ CALLED AT STATE MEET?  

In 2011, a Loyola-Los Angeles pole vaulter who tied for third at the state meet was disqualified because he yelled a profanity following his final miss in the event. 

Though it didn’t cost Evan Barr an individual first-place medal, it did take away his third-place medal and way worse, the points that were taken away from his team cost the Cubs the team championship. Long Beach Poly won with 35 points, Loyola was second at 32. 

“He uttered a profanity out of frustration, and the officials thought it was significant to disqualify him,” then Loyola coach Mike Porterfield told the Los Angeles Times at the time. “He apologized immediately after he said it.” 

Said rules interpreter Hal Harkness: “You can’t be profane in a competitive area. He made an unfortunate lapse in judgement.” 

Barr told the Times a few days later: “I just had knee surgery five weeks ago and was thinking I had a shot at winning. I really want to win. … On my third miss, I was really frustrated. My emotions got the better of me. Immediately afterward, I felt so terrible. I felt so terrible. Within a minute, I sat down and had to apologize.” 

GENERAL REACTION

While taking the blame for having his daughter partake in the celebration — “It was a father-daughter moment,” — in no way does David Harris believe his daughter was unsportsmanlike or disrespectful to her opponents. 

“Looking at the film, Clara is nowhere near any opponent,” David Harris told the Los Angeles Times.  “She’s off the track, on the grass. Her opponents are long gone off the track already, so she wasn’t in their face. … She did it off the track because she didn’t want to seem disrespectful toward nobody. And they still found a reason to take her title away. They didn’t give a warning or anything.” 

The Harris’ said the support for Clara has been far and wide, including from Greene, the original fire extinguisher, former NFL Pro Bowler Adam “Pacman” Jones, and several local politicians on both sides, including Monterey County Supervisor Luis Alejo who said: "The true CIF 400-meter state champion Clara Adams deserves to have her title reinstated. ... officials went overboard."

“It’s opened my eyes to see how much people support me,” Clara Harris said. “It makes me feel better about the situation. I knew my community would have my back. I didn’t know it would blow up globally.” 

The only ones the Harris’ really want to hear from are officials from the California Interscolastic Federation, the governing body of high school sports in the state. Publications, including this one, have also sought comment about the original decision and if there’s a chance for reinstatement. 

As of Thursday, there’s been no response, which likely indicates the ruling on the field stands. 

David Harris told Devine he’ll continue to fight, organize press conferences and go to court until he’s heard. 

“A $24.99 fire extinguisher has charged (Clara’s) life,” David Harris said. “Honestly, Clara would trade all of this for the title. She was left in a dark hole. I wish things could just go back to normal. … I take full responsibility for the fire extinguisher. I brought it. If you want to be mad, be mad at me. But don’t take it out on Clara.”

manual