Caster Semenya a woman? Prove it
August 20th, 2009 - 7:06 pm ICT by IBNSAug 20 (IBNS) Controversy ran high in the world of athletics after a female South African athlete, Caster Semenya, was asked to take a gender verification test to prove she is a woman.
Caster Semenya, an 18-year-old who had never competed outside of Africa, notched up the 800 m final at the world championships.
Suspicions when raised when she posted the fastest 800m time in the world this year, winning gold at the African junior championships.
She has won the gold medal in Berlin in 1 minute 55.45 seconds, the best in the world this year, beating Janeth Jepkosgei, the defending champion, by 2.45 seconds. The British runner Jenny Meadows won the bronze medal.
Semanya, from Polokwane, Limpopo province, possesses an unusually developed muscular frame and a deep voice and has clocked times which belie her youth – tonight’s winning time is more than three-quarters of a second faster than Kelly Holmes’s career best, it was reported.
Nick Davies, a spokesman for the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), has disclosed that the test was requested after Semenya’s run last month amid fears she should not be allowed to run as a woman.
Davies said: In the case of this athlete, following her breakthrough in the African junior championships, the gossip was starting to build up.
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- Caster Semenya plans to make 1,500m bid in 2012 Olympics - Feb 22, 2011
- Caster Semenya planning a return to the track - Jan 15, 2010
- World athletics: Semenya wins 800 metres amid controversy - Aug 20, 2009
- IAAF denies allowing Caster Semenya to keep her gold medal - Nov 20, 2009
- Caster Semenya's Test Results To Be Revealed In Novemeber By IAAF - Sep 12, 2009
- 'It's like racing a man', says Semenya's Brit rival after Berlin race - Aug 23, 2010
- Caster Semenya Cleared to Compete After Gender Confirmed - Jul 07, 2010
- Semenya's gender tested unknown to her: mother - Sep 13, 2009
- S. African gender row runner Semenya set to race against women - Jul 06, 2010
- Semenya skips African Athletics Championships, to focus on CWG - Jul 12, 2010
- Amputee Pistorius, Semenya to compete in World Athletics - Aug 08, 2011
- Bolt a global icon, lack of sensitivity shown to Semenya: Diack - Aug 23, 2009
Tags: 800m, athlete, bronze medal, caster, controversy, defending champion, gold medal, iaaf, international association of athletics federations, janeth jepkosgei, kelly holmes, limpopo province, muscular frame, nick davies, suspicions, three quarters, time in the world, verification test, winning time, world championships