Photo of Clara and David Adams
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A 16-year-old high school track star is “devastated” after California officials stripped her state title for celebrating with a fire extinguisher.

Clara Adams had just won the 400-meter race at Buchanan High School on Saturday when her father, David, handed her the fire extinguisher. Cell phone video shows the teenager spraying her feet with the extinguisher.

The celebration paid tribute to Olympic gold medalist Maurice Greene whose track shoes were sprayed with a fire extinguisher after he won a 100 meter race in 2004.

However, California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) officials called the celebration “unsportsmanlike conduct” and stripped Adams of the 400-meter gold.

“I worked so hard for that title,” Adams told KSBW 8. “I’m disappointed and I feel robbed. I am in shock.”

David, who is also a sprinting coach, said his daughter didn’t do anything wrong. He said she wasn’t near her opponents when she activated the fire extinguisher.

“When she blew the fire extinguisher, the opponents were gone,” David told KSBW.

Another infraction occurred when David jumped the fence and ran onto the track. “I saw an official grab my daughter by the arm. They were yelling in her face… I went over the wall at that point,” David explained.

“I’m a father now, I’m not coach anymore. I’m over the wall,” he added.

Even if Adams is reinstated and she gets her gold medal, she said the moment is gone.

“They (officials) yelled at me and told me, ‘We’re not letting you on the podium.’ They took my moment away from me,” Adams said.