Athletics: South African Caster Semenya braced for more questions over gender

Caster Semenya of South Africa contest the women's 800 metres at the London Olympics. Photo/Photosport

Controversial South African runner Caster Semenya is trying to head ongoing gender scrutiny off at the pass, before the start of this week's world athletics championships in London.

The three-time women's 800 metres champion will attempt the 800/1500 double, amid continuing doubt over her sexuality, and has expressed her frustration in a rare interview with SuperSport TV.

"I don't understand, when you say I have an advantage because I am a woman," she insisted. "When I pee, I pee like a woman.

"I don't understand when you say I'm a man or I have a deep voice. I know I am a female, so there's no question for me.

"I have to find a way to deflect [doubts over her gender], so instead of allowing it to all be negative, I turn it into a positive."

When Semenya won her first world title as a 19-year-old, tests reportedly showed she was hyperandrogenous and her body produced more testosterone than her rivals.

Her competitive career seemed to be coming to an end, when the IAAF introduced a limit to testosterone allowed in female athletes, but those regulations were suspended for two years by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

That was two years ago.

Semenya clocked 1min 55.27sec over the two laps at Monaco last week, the world's best time this season, and she remains the best prospect to finally beat the longest standing world record of 1min 53.28sec, notoriously held by Czech Jarmila Kratochilova since 1983.

She rarely runs the longer distance, but won the South African student championship in April and is the reigning African champion from last year, with a best time of 4min 01.19sec.