Masculine Female Runner Caster Semenya Receives New House

The authorities of Limpopo, a province in South Africa, and a local real estate developer decided to give a new house to the 800m gold medalist at World Athletics Championship, Caster Semenya.

Photo: Masculine Female Runner Caster Semenya Receives New House

Semenya became the world’s 800-meter run champion during the World Athletics Championship which took place in Berlin on August 15-23. However, The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) cast doubts on the gender of the South African athlete due to her build, deep voice and her man-like style of running.

However, special tests, which were subsequently conducted, revealed that the level of testosterone, the male hormone, in Semenya’s blood exceeded the norms three times but did not overcome the limits for women’s sports competitions.

The authorities of Limpopo decided to build a new house for the world champ after they had been left dissatisfied with her present living conditions. Caster Semenya’s family of seven will soon move from their hut of mud to a new house in the village of Masehlong.

Semenya - the world's new 800-meter champion - returned home to the village of Ga-Masehlong, where houses are of mud or concrete, and roofed with thatch or tin. Here, residents refused to let questions about her gender dampen their celebrations of her Aug. 19 victory in Germany. Villagers broke into song as Semenya arrived, and children swarmed around her with cheers, The Associated Press reports.

Semenya herself seemed happy and relaxed after the last 10 days of controversy surrounding her gender, breaking into a dance as she walked through the village where she lived until she was 13 years old.

Dressed in a black T-shirt and jacket and dark jeans, Semenya said little during two hours of speeches and songs in her praise. At one point, her 7-month-old niece Gauta was passed to her, and she sat cuddling the child on her lap.

"I don't know what to say," Semenya told the crowd of villagers toward the end of the ceremony. "But I'm very happy. Thank you."

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