Caster Semenya telling her truth in new memoir
Caster hopes her upcoming book will inspire others to be bold, unafraid, and, most importantly, to love themselves.
Olympics gold medalist Caster Semenya has revealed plans to release a memoir. The book, which is titled, 'The Race to be Myself', will be released later this year on October 31.
It will be released simultaneously in South Africa, America, and the UK.
The 800m world champion hopes to inspire people with her new book.
"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. This is my offering from me to you," the 32-year-old wrote on Instagram.
Caster Semenya banned
The World Athletics governing body barred Caster from performing in major track and field races after she refused to take testosterone-lowering medication.
She was born with naturally elevated testosterone levels.
The governing body introduced new regulations in 2018 for female athletes with Difference of Sexual Development (DSD) that required them to take hormone-suppressing drugs.
This was done in a bid to restrict testosterone levels in DSD female athletes. They were required to "reduce their blood testosterone level to below five (5) nmol/L for a continuous period of at least six months".
Caster tried unsuccessfully to overturn her ban.
ALSO READ: Semenya welcome at world champs, says Coe
World Athletics updated its eligibility regulations for DSD and male-to-female transgender athletes earlier this year.
"For DSD athletes, the new regulations will require any relevant athletes to reduce their testosterone levels below a limit of 2.5 nmol/L for a minimum of 24 months to compete internationally in the female category in any event, not just the events that were restricted (400m to one mile) under the previous regulations," officials said in a statement.
Transgender women were completely banned from competing - regardless of their testosterone levels.
"However, there are currently no transgender athletes competing internationally in athletics and consequently no athletics-specific evidence of the impact these athletes would have on the fairness of female competition in athletics."
Caster Semenya wife
According to her book publisher, Caster's memoir "offers an empowering account of her extraordinary life and career, and her trailblazing battle to compete on her own terms".
Caster is now the mother of two children. She welcomed two daughters with her wife Violet. Their eldest, Oratile, was born in July 2019.
Caster announced Violet was expecting baby #2 in July 2021. She shared pictures taken during their maternity shoot.
Oarabile was born that same month, but news about her birth only made headlines in June 2022 - one month before her first birthday.
"The most rewarding experience of being a parent is knowing that you have a hand in the development of your bundle of joy. You have the ability to mould and shape every aspect of who they become. It’s amazing to watch them be decisive of what they like and what they don’t like," said about her daughter.
ALSO READ: Caster Semenya's wife reflects on road to conceiving "miracle" daughter
Main image credit: Instagram/@castersemenya800m
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