Telling her story: Gold medalist Caster Semenya is set to release her memoir later this year. Picture: Instagram / Caster Semenya
Aptly titled The Race to be Myself is Caster Semenya’s soon to be released memoir that the athlete announced yesterday to her fans.
“It will be a simultaneous release in the US, UK and SA. It is my hope that by finally telling my truth, I will inspire others to be bold, unafraid and most importantly to love and accept themselves as they are,” said Semenya in an Instagram post.
“This is my offering from me to you. You can pre-order my book at your favourite bookseller today in the US and the UK… SA pre-order date will be shared soon. Stay winning, love Mokgadi.”
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In 2019, a World Athletics eligibility ruling came into effect which prevents female athletes with Differences in Sexual Development (DSD) from competing in women’s events from 400m to one mile (1 600m), unless they reduce their testosterone levels.
Semenya vowed, following that ruling, that she would not take any testosterone suppressing medication, terming the rules discriminatory and unfair.
In the same year, International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) president Sebastian Coe told the Australian Daily Telegraph: “The reason we have gender classification is because if you didn’t then no woman would ever win another title or another medal or break another record in our sport”.
Semenya hit back at Coe and the governing body of world athletics by highlighting her suffering in a statement.
“The scars Ms Semenya has developed over the past decade run deep. She has endured and forged herself into a symbol of strength, hope and courage,” read the statement.
“Reading the comments of Mr Coe opened those old wounds and the reference by the Daily Telegraph (Australia) to ‘the muscle-packed Semenya’ is just the latest illustration of how the issues have been distorted by innuendo.”
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The book will be released months leading up to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, which Semenya hopes to compete in.
Speaking to City Press the confident athlete said: “The target will be the Olympics. Not that this season is not important, but I’m still maturing in the long distance. I’m in the adaptation phase, and my body is starting to fit with it. I’m just enjoying myself at the moment, and things will fall into place at the right time”.
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