Flame Bearers is a platform for “The Women Athletes Carrying Tokyo’s Torch that celebrates the journeys of Tokyo’s unsung women Olympians & Paralympians and provides action-oriented analysis of the issues closest to their hearts.” I recently listened to their podcast about Caster Semenya. Semenya is an acclaimed and world-renowned track and field athlete who has won numerous medals in Olympic competitions. This episode, narrated by Jamie Mittleman delved deep into Semenya’s background, her accomplishments in sports, and the challenges/backlash faced based on her natural testosterone levels.

In this Caster Semenya podcast, we get to hear directly from Semenya who speaks openly about her triumphs, outlook on the future of her sport, supporting other women athletes and her gratitude for the haters. We know that haters will definitely bring attention to your cause/brand. Although Semenya was not able to compete in the Toyoko Olympics due to the rules around female testosterone levels, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recently stated that testosterone will not determine sex eligibility in future Olympic Games. I consider this ruling a “slow-motion” win since Semenya was not able to compete in Toyoko; however, moving forward other athletes will be able to compete in a more inclusive environment.

I applaud Semenya’s transparency, authenticity and, vulnerability for taking a stance for what she believed in. I’ve asked myself if I would have also chosen to forgo taking medication to lower my testosterone levels in order to compete for another Olympic medal. Would I have wanted my name in the Toyoko Olympic books as well? Or would I have been as brave as Semenya to choose integrity over accolades? I think I would have opted for this slow-motion win as well. Make sure you check out Flame Bearers, the podcast about Caster Semenya and, subscribe for future episodes.

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