nown and Meninga credited the whole team for buying in to what h

RIO DE JANEIRO -- Caster Semenya has been called many things -- not all of them pleasant -- and it seems the South African runner has decided to funnel this second Olympic campaign of hers down to just her and her event. That was the distinct feeling the most controversial athlete in the Olympic Games threw off Wednesday after breezing to victory in her morning 800-meter qualifying heat, and then walking through the cattle chute media area beneath Olympic Stadium, declining all requests to talk with her mouth clamped shut and a shake of her head.Amid the endless cacophony of opinions about whether Semenya should be able to run here in Rio at all, Semenyas continued silence is even more conspicuous. She has a good chance to not only win the gold medal but break one of the oldest, most stubbornly unassailable records in track -- Jarmila Kratochvilovas 33-year-old world record of 1:53.28, which is widely believed to have been drug-enhanced, though Kratochvilova never tested positive for PEDs when she ran for Communist-run Czechoslovakia.If the 25-year-old Semenya does smash the record -- the talk that she will restarted after she ran a world-best 1:55.33 last month in Monaco -- not everyone will celebrate her.Neither she nor her coach, Jean Veter, has ever confirmed the widespread belief that Semenya has an intersex condition, meaning she was born with both male and female anatomical characteristics. Nor have they directly acknowledged she is hyperandrogenous as a result, meaning her body produces markedly higher testosterone levels than other females.She has heard complaints that she has a naturally occurring but unfair chemical advantage ever since 2009, when she burst onto the track scene as an 18-year-old who won the 800 world championship in Berlin in a remarkably fast time and The Daily Telegraph of Sydney published a story three weeks later that trails her to this day. The article noted that Semenya was flagged after the race for gender testing. And all hell broke loose after that.The IAAF, track and fields international governing body, refused to confirm the report, but Leonard Chuene, president of South Africas track and field federation, angrily resigned over the leaked information, saying, We are talking about a child here, whose name has been dragged through the dirt by [the IAAF]. If gender tests have to take place, they should have been done quietly. By going public on the tests, the IAAF has let down this young child.Semenya has been thrust ever since into the center of some wide ranging, highly invasive, often heated debates about fairness, stereotyping, the concept of gender identity as a nuanced rather than binary concept, and the shifting science about how much testosterone levels really affect athletic performance in women.Semenyas determination to keep competing has also provoked discussions about exactly whose rights are being trampled here: Semenyas? Her competitors? Could it be both?Semenya is breaking no existing rules. She has every right to run in Rio or wherever she wants.There were suspicions after the IAAF established a ceiling in 2011 for how much testosterone female competitors can legally have in their system that Semenyas times got worse between 2012 and 2014 because she began taking hormonal suppressants to meet the standard. But like everything else, shes never personally addressed that topic, either. She also hasnt addressed the gripes that the reason shes running faster again now is the Court for Arbitration in Sports ruling last year (in a case brought by Indian sprinter Dutee Chand) that testosterone levels alone were not a reliable marker of gender, and suspended the ceiling for women that the IAAF and some other federations were using. If Semenya was on suppressants, she can legally be off them now. And her times have plunged again. She is unbeaten in the 800 this year. Her seasons best is nearly a full second better than Burundis Francine Niyonsaba, her closest challenger.The IAAF now has two years to make its argument why the rule should be reinstated. But UCLA geneticist Eric Vilain, a consultant to the International Olympic Committee medical committee who is quoted in a story by Sports Illustrateds Tim Layden this week, said he does not expect the testosterone ceiling to be restored because, CAS wants IAAF to demonstrate the entirety of the difference between male and female athletic performance is androgenous testosterone.That is not going to be proven, because its not true.There are other factors. My testosterone level is higher than Jackie Joyner-Kersees, but she would defeat me in a race for many other reasons.So if scientists cant agree on whats the correct -- or least unfair -- thing to do, its no surprise Semenyas rivals cant either.American 800 runner Ajee Wilson, who finished just behind Semenya in Wednesdays heat, said she thinks the IAAFs testosterone limit is something that should be revisited. But Great Britains Lynsey Sharp, a sometime critic of Semenya, tersely said, I dont want to talk about it and Canadian medal contender Melissa Bishop said the same thing.Irelands Clara Everard said, Its a very sensitive topic. But as far as I know, shes not breaking any rules.Simoya Campbell, a 22-year-old Jamaican runner, agreed, adding: I think everything happens for a reason. And we cant break down someone like this. She [Semenya] didnt make herself. God has a plan for everyone. He knows best. Its up to us to just support her. Mentally, I know it has to affect her even though she doesnt say that much. Shes tough. Even with all the things that have been said, shes still out here running fast. I think shes so mentally tough.Semenyas dilemma is, the better she runs, the louder the consternation gets.It doesnt help that the womens 800 has a particularly fraught history even beyond that world record Semenya is chasing. Mariya Savinova, one of the rivals who complained about Semenya after losing the 2009 world title race (Just look at her, Savinova said, referring to Semenyas masculine appearance and deep voice) is not here. She is among the recently banned Russian track stars who were just found guilty of doping at the 2012 London Summer Games. Her London victory will likely be taken away-- meaning Semenya, who finished second there, would belatedly get her first Olympic gold medal.If that feels like a turnabout of fair play, Semenya has said nothing about that, either.She is now in Year 7 of this public saga. She seems to have long ago concluded the best statement she can make is to just keep showing up and running fast. Theres no percentage in engaging the rest. Semenya seems to get that controversies have their own half-lives. And the sad truth for her is, some can never be out-run.Nike NFL Jerseys Outlet . Jason Zucker and Matt Cooke also scored for Minnesota, which has won five of six. Kuemper made five saves in the first, nine in the second, and nine in the third. The rookies best save came with 2:17 left in the third period when he denied former Wild forward Matt Cullen from just outside of the crease on the right side. Cheap NFL Jerseys China . Darren Helm scored on Detroits sixth attempt in the shootout and then Jonas Gustavsson stopped Andrew Shaws shot, lifting the Detroit Red Wings to a 5-4 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday night. https://www.chinajerseysnfl.us/ . -- Sergey Tolchinksy scored his second goal of the game 3:56 into overtime as the Sault Ste. Wholesale NFL Jerseys China . -- Gus Malzahn finally had his day in Fayetteville. Fake Nike NFL Jerseys . Vettel was 0.168 seconds faster than Red Bull teammate Mark Webber around the Suzuka circuit. Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg was two tenths of a second off Vettel. "The car balance is decent, but I think we can still improve," Vettel said.Australian coach Mal Meninga has hailed the Kangaroos spine of Darius Boyd, Cooper Cronk, Cameron Smith and Johnathan Thurston as the greatest hes ever seen in any team.Boyd was named man of the match in the 34-8 win over New Zealand in the Four Nations final at Anfield with Cronk voted man of the series after helping Australia return the summit of international rugby league.Smith and Thurston are certain to be in contention for rugby league Immortal status when their illustrious careers conclude and Meninga admitted he was in awe of his players.It was a great performance and sitting back and watching these guys play is a real pleasure, Meninga said.I havent seen too many better spines in our game or in international rugby league.I know how special it is to put on the green and gold jersey on for Cameron, Cooper, Darius and John - they are extraordinarily good players and great fellas and always seem to perform when it matters.That is how you judge a player and everything they have done in their lives has been surrounded by success.The Kangaroos squad has been rated by senior players and the mmost united and harmonious they have ever known and Meninga credited the whole team for buying in to what he preaches.ddddddddddddThe last couple of weeks I have been really happy with the performances, he said.Everyone, the whole 24 were part of the team, everyone got a game, which is important and at the end of the day the guys who ran onto the field were playing for the group.I couldnt be happier as a coach.Skipper Smith, a veteran of 10 State of Origin series successes and a World Cup, said the tour ranks alongside some of his best moments of in a 15-year career.It ranks quite highly, given the transformation of the team this year, Smith said.Theres been a lot of new faces, a new coaching staff and its been a seamless transition.Its one on the happiest and tight-knit groups I have been involved with.The win also saw Australia usurp New Zealand as the No.1-ranked team in the world in front of a crowd of over 40,000 at the home of Premier League club Liverpool FC. 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