Sep09200911:01 a.m.
Paula the great and Caster the elegant!
Paula to run World Half Marathon Championships in Birmingham.
Britain's 35 year old Paula Radcliffe will run her first UK competitive race for a year when she takes on the world in Birmingham on October 11th.
It looks ever more likely that she will use this race as a warm up for the New York Marathon November 1st.
Caster the elegant?
Controversial world female 800m Champion, Caster Semanya, celebrated being told she would not lose her gold medal (regardless of what the gender test results) by dressing up! South African Magazine, You!, did a make over on the 18 year old.
Let me know what you think?
It has been another busy week of scandal for Caster as one of the South Africa’s top coaches quit after admitting he played a part in duping her into taking a gender test (she believed it was just a drugs test).
This is on top of controversy that disgraced coach Dr Ekkart Arbeit, a doping expert in the former East Germany, was indeed fully in control of Semenya's training preparation. This is something South Africa Athletics Asscoiation have tried to keep quiet which is not a surprise considering Dr Arbeit's past. (Good read- http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more_sports/2009/08/25/2009-08-25_caster_semeny.html ).
Telegraph Sport claims that tests carried out in a specialist hospital in Berlin following the 18 year-old's runaway victory in the 800 metres at the World Championships are now complete, and have raised sufficient doubt about whether she is entirely female. The results are to be given to a panel of independent experts for further examination and should be revealed in 10 days.
Caster gave her first public interview about the matter and a great quote.
“I see it all as a joke, it doesn't upset me. God made me the way I am and I accept myself. I am who I am and I'm proud of myself."
"I feel very sorry about the matter and wish for her sake it had been dealt with better! What is your opinion on the saga?"
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Comments (3)
flanker2 'Excellent stuff footnote. I already said at the time I thought it was a disgrace on the athletics governing bodies that these issues should be made so public and humiliating! How could she have duped so many pro? people about her gender???? She is in my eyes, a true champion and I hope for her and her family that she has cleaned up (financially) from this fiasco and that the powers that be have learned a lesson in decency!.....BTW, Both very different and both very gorgeous. And yes I would!!!!!.....X Flanker.' added 9th Sep 2009
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Footnote 'One of the reasons this topic is such a big story is down to the many factors and conspiracy theories. The truth of the matter will not appear until the test results come back. There are failings at various stages of this saga that have led to this: Stage 1. South African Athletic Association- Questions were raised of Semenya's gender months before the Championships. They should have avoided this by settling this issue before the world champs by conducting a gender test. Stage 2. South Africa hire a proven cheat from 1980 East German team. Good read -http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more_sports/2009/08/25/2009-08-25_caster_semeny.html Stage 3. IAAF as a governing body mishandle the whole situation and allow the world media to jump on an 18 year old! Stage 4. The test results have taken too long to come out and have resulted in more conspiracy theories Financially- If it turns out she is genetically a female she will sue and will win some money back but she has missed out on the remainder of the athletics pro circuit that for a world champion is a big pay day! Don't expect the governing bodies to learn any lessons. They can't even choose correct hosts for the world champs. Berlin was a great success! Do you know where the next one is? ' added 9th Sep 2009
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Simon_Doyle 'Come and play the 'He' or 'She' game on my Timeout blog where you can decide which athlete is a 'he' and which is a she. It's not just Caster who's been accused in the past... http://www.realbuzz.com/blogs/u/Simon_Doyle/time-out/posts/the-he-or-she-game/' added 9th Sep 2009
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