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SPORTS Saturday 14 March 2020
Semenya switches to 200, still aiming to turn up in Tokyo

By GERALD IMRAY pills, hormone-blocking in-
AP Sports Writer jections or surgery.
Caster Semenya is looking But the regulations don't
for another Olympic run. apply to the 200 meters
A different one, too. and that gives Semenya a
Banned from competing in chance to run at her third
her favorite race and de- Olympics, even if it's not in
fending her title, the Olym- the race she wants to run
pic 800-meter champion in. It won't be easy.
is trying to make the To- Semenya has rarely run
kyo Games anyway — by the 200 meters, and only
switching to the 200 meters. at lower-level events. She
Semenya announced her didn't compete at all over
decision on her Instagram the distance between 2016
account on Friday, saying and early 2019, and she
her desire "to compete at is well off the pace of the
the highest level of sport" world's leading women.
drove her to try to qualify The 29-year-old South Afri-
for the Olympics in an unfa- can needs to improve her
miliar race for her. personal best by nearly
"This decision has not been two seconds just to qualify
an easy one but, as always, for the Tokyo Olympics.
I look forward to the chal- Her best is 24.26 seconds,
lenge and will work hard, in South Africa in February In this June 30, 2019 file photo, South Africa's Caster Semenya smiles after winning the women's
doing all I can to qualify for 2019. The Olympic qualify- 800-meter race during the Prefontaine Classic, an IAAF Diamond League athletics meeting, in
Stanford, Calif.
Tokyo and compete to the ing standard for the wom- Associated Press
best of my ability for South en's 200 is 22.80 seconds.
Africa," she said. Semenya's PB wouldn't victory over two laps. She mone-reducing treatment, like Semenya an unfair
Under the world track and have got her out of the wasn't able to defend her but her chances of win- athletic advantage. Seme-
field body's highly criticized heats at the 2016 Rio de title at last year's world ning the appeal are seen nya's story has been one
testosterone regulations, Janeiro Olympics. championships. as slim. of the most contentious in
Semenya and other female But at least Semenya has Semenya's decision to try World Athletics' new tes- sport ever since she arrived
athletes with high natural a goal now after being in the 200 may signal she has tosterone rules apply to fe- as an unknown teenager
testosterone are barred limbo for nearly a year af- given up on her second le- male athletes like Semenya and won gold at the 2009
from races from 400 me- ter making an unsuccessful gal challenge against the with conditions known as world championships amid
ters to one mile at top-level appeal of World Athletics' regulations. That second differences of sex devel- a gender-test storm.
meets like the Olympics testosterone regulations at appeal is still being consid- opments (DSDs). Semenya She has won two Olympic
and world championships the Court of Arbitration for ered by the Swiss Federal was born with the typical titles and three world titles
unless they undergo treat- Sport last May. Tribunal and a ruling is due male XY chromosome pat- in the 800 meters and is the
ment to reduce their hor- That left Semenya with a in the coming weeks. She tern but also female traits. reigning Olympic cham-
mone levels for six months choice: Submit to medical lost her first appeal at CAS She was legally identified pion but has now been
prior to running. treatment to lower her tes- last year by a 2-1 majority as female at birth and has barred from running twice
Semenya has refused to tosterone or stay away from of the panel of judges. been identified as female in her career. The first time
do so, calling the rules and the 800 meters. Defiant, she A favorable decision from her entire life, but World she was sidelined by World
the medical intervention chose to stay away and the Swiss supreme court Athletics says she is "biologi- Athletics, then known as
required unfair and un- hasn't run an 800-meter could still overturn the tes- cally male" — an assertion the IAAF, was in 2009 in
ethical. Athletes are given race since winning at the tosterone rules and allow she has rejected angrily. the wake of the gender
three choices to lower their Prefontaine Classic in June Semenya to compete in World Athletics says higher controversy at the world
testosterone: birth control last year, her 31st straight the 800 again without hor- testosterone gives women championships.q

Olympic torch relay in Greece

suspended because of virus

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greek town of Sparta. The handover of the Olympic
The Greek Olympic com- flame for the Tokyo Olym- Flame to the Tokyo orga-
mittee suspended the rest pics was lit Thursday at the nizing committee will go
of its torch relay on Friday birthplace of the games ahead as scheduled on
because of the “unex- in Ancient Olympia in a March 19 at the stadium
pectedly large crowd” pared-down ceremony. in Athens where the first
that gathered to watch “(We took) the difficult modern Olympics were
despite repeated requests but essential decision to held in 1896. No spectators
for the public to stay away cancel the rest of the pro- will be allowed to attend U.S. actor Gerard Butler runs as a torchbearer during the
to prevent the spread of gram of the flame relay on that ceremony, Tokyo of- Olympic torch relay of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games in the
the coronavirus. Greek territory,” the com- ficials said in a statement, southern Greek town of Sparta, Friday, March 13, 2020.
Associated Press
The committee said a mittee said. The decision but they are continuing
large crowd had gath- was taken in coordination their plans for a torch relay national government, we to ensure the Olympic
ered to watch the flame with the health ministry and in Japan. will work closely with all torch relay safely begins
for the Tokyo Olympics the International Olympic “In line with the counter- municipalities and related on March 26,” organizers
pass through the southern Committee, it said. The measure policy set by the organisations in Japan said.q