Caster Semenya

Semenya on the 2010 Diamond League circuit

Caster Semenya (born 7 January 1991) is a South African middle-distance runner and winner of two Olympic gold medals and three World Championships in the women's 800 metres. She first won gold at the World Championships in 2009 and went on to win at the 2016 Olympics and the 2017 World Championships, where she also won a bronze medal in the 1500 metres. After the doping disqualification of Mariya Savinova, she was also awarded gold medals for the 2011 World Championships and the 2012 Olympics.

Semenya is an intersex woman, with α-Reductase 2 deficiency, assigned female at birth, with XY chromosomes and naturally elevated testosterone levels caused by the presence of internal testes. Following her victory at the 2009 World Championships, she was made to undergo sex testing, and cleared to return to competition the following year. In 2019, new World Athletics rules came into force preventing women like Semenya from participating in w:400m, 800m, and w:1500m events in the female classification unless they take medication to suppress their testosterone levels. In 2021, she filed an appeal with the European Court of Human Rights against the restrictions.

Semenya was born in Ga-Masehlong, a village in South Africa near Polokwane (previously called Pietersburg), and grew up in the village of Fairlie, deep in South Africa's northern Limpopo province. She has three sisters and a brother.[ Semenya attended Nthema Secondary School and the University of North West as a sports science student. She began running as training for association football.

Quotes

• God made me the way I am, and I accept myself. I am who I am, and I'm proud of myself.[1]
• I don't give a damn what people say about me. I like me the way I am, and who cares what other people say? [2]
• Sometimes I was sad, sometimes happy. Just on and off. Always I felt welcome. It's just, you know, sometimes as a human being, you cannot always be happy. You do good things, you do bad things, people talk. [3]
• I am not a fake. I am natural. I am just being Caster. I don't want to be someone I don't want to be. I don't want to be someone people want me to be. I just want to be me. I was born like this. I don't want any changes. [https://playersbio.com/caster-semenya-quotes/
• I am a fighter. I never give up. https://playersbio.com/caster-semenya-quotes/
• I'm the kind of person who doesn't really focus on more negativity. I'm a positive person, and I look at things in a positive way. [4]
• It's all about the hard work, knowing your strengths and weaknesses. You work on what you know you can do best. I have speed. [5]
• I know how I look like. I know how I sound. I know how I walk. I'm just gonna be me. I do me, and you do you. [6]
• When I'm racing, I'm thinking about my own race. I'm not thinking about anybody. [7]
• I don't like fame, I prefer to have no profile. But this is not possible for me. This is what I do, so I just have to find a way of being comfortable with it. [8]
• Education is the key. If you are educated, nothing can defeat you. [9]
• Be yourself, embrace your uniqueness, and don't let anyone else define your worth.[10]
• Don't let setbacks define you, but use them as stepping stones towards success.[11]
• It is not about winning or losing, but about giving your best and pushing your limits.[12]
• Strength is not measured by physical prowess alone, but by the resilience and determination of the human spirit.[13]
• Believe in yourself, even when others doubt you.[14]
• Success is not determined by the opinions of others, but by your own self-belief.[15]
• The true measure of an individual lies not in their victories, but in their ability to rise after defeat.[16]
• Do not let the constraints of society limit who you are meant to be.[17]
• Challenge the status quo and redefine what it means to be an athlete.[18]
• Don't let anyone's narrow-mindedness define your path, break the barriers and make history.[19]
• The road to success is not always smooth, but the journey itself is what makes it worthwhile.[20]
• Be proud of the person you are, regardless of others' opinions.[21]
• Embrace your own strength and be unapologetic about it.[22]
• Listen to your own voice, because it is the only one that truly knows your potential.[23]
• The strength of the human spirit knows no boundaries.[24]
• Embrace your uniqueness, for it is what sets you apart from the rest.[25]
• Never underestimate your own power, for you are capable of achieving greatness.[26]
• Success is not defined by external validation, but by the inner sense of accomplishment.[27]
• Stay true to yourself, even in the face of adversity.[28]
• Hard work, perseverance, and self-belief are the keys to unlocking your true potential.[29]
• Don't be afraid to challenge the norms, for that is where true progress lies.[30]
• Your identity should never be defined by society's labels, but by your own self-worth.[31]
• Never let anyone make you doubt your worth, for you are deserving of every success that comes your way.[32]
• Believe in your dreams, even when they seem impossible.[33]
• Stand tall, be proud, and let your achievements speak for themselves.[34]
• The greatest victory is the one fought against your own doubts and fears.[35]
• Embrace the power of resilience and never give up on your dreams.[36]
• The road less traveled may be challenging, but it is where true greatness awaits.[37]
• In the face of adversity, let your spirit shine even brighter.[38]
• Do not conform to the expectations others have of you, but forge your own path.[39]

Specific novel/play/work (date published or created)

• The Run For Life: Caster Semenya [40], December 17, 2019

1676697934

• QHAWE! Mokgadi Caster Semenya , ISBN: 978-1-4856-3072-2, May 2021, 260x210mm, 32 pages,

Languages: English, Afrikaans, isiNdebele, Siswati, isiXhosa, isiZulu, Sepedi, Sesotho,

Quotes about person/work

• Caster Semenya working on memoir, ‘Silence All the Noise’ : https://apnews.com/article/caster-semenya-book-f21d3b0ee4bce91dea726a9a566dad3b