GRACE FISHER | HER Sport
18-year-old Audrey Jimenez made history last week by becoming the first girl to win an Arizona state high school wrestling title while competing against boys.
Though she regularly competes with boys during the ordinary season, after three straight girls’ individual titles, the teen had to petition the Arizona Interscholastic Association to compete in the boys’ division in the state championships.
She won her appeal and the Division 1 title at 106 pounds, defeating four male opponents on her way to the final 7-5 win, a victory over Carson Miles.
“For me, wrestling against the boys is going to test me a little bit more,” Jimenez had said in December after winning the AIA appeal.
“Either way, wrestling against the boys of the girls, I’m happy to represent Sunnyside [High School].”
Jimenez said that after her historic win, “The crowd was just super crazy. So that’s what made it seem more of like, ‘Oh wow, I just won state.'”
Jimenez hopes her example will inspire others. “Once you see it done, you know it’s possible,” she said.
Just a few days later Jimenez followed up her victory at the Pan American Championships, winning a bronze medal after defeating Canadian Katie Dutchak.