“I began running competitively as a teenager in South Africa, and by age 18, I was competing on the international stage,” says Caster Semenya, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in track and field and the author of the book “The Race to Be Myself.” “Because of my looks, there had been speculation from my fellow athletes, sports officials, the media and fans that I was not what I said I was.” Because of testosterone limits set by World Athletics (formerly the International Association of Athletics Federations), Caster is prohibited from competing on the international stage unless she alters her hormone levels. “No one suggested Michael Phelps’s dominance in the pool was unfair and he should have to take medication to ensure that he produced just as much lactic acid as his competitors or have surgery to fix his hypermobile joints,” Caster says. “I was healthy, I loved my body, and it had made me a champion. Why must I go and mutilate it to conform to someone else’s rules?” #womeninsports #castersemenya #theracetobemyself #nytopinion