The Race to Be Myself: A Memoir

Two-time Olympic gold medalist Semenya recounts her struggles to compete in international track-and-field events in this affecting debut memoir. Semenya was born in South Africa with a genetic condition that caused her to develop both female genitalia and high testosterone levels that gave her “more typically masculine characteristics, such as a deeper voice and fewer curves.” Though she’d sometimes been mistaken for a boy growing up, she only learned of her condition in 2009, after she won her first world championship in the 800-meter race as an 18-year-old. Her physical appearance led to questions about whether she was a man, which, in turn, resulted in a battery of tests by the International Amateur Athletic Federation. Semenya was forced to take medication to lower her testosterone levels in order to compete, which had “horrible side effects,” and by 2018, the IAAF adopted rules mandating low testosterone caps for eligibility in a handful of Semenya’s strongest events, including the 400- and 800-meter races, a decision she challenged in human rights court. Semenya’s galvanizing descriptions of being treated unfairly because of the genes she was born with are leavened with descriptions of the loving embrace of her family, especially her wife, Violet Raseboya. This chronicle of supreme resilience will resonate even with non–sports fans. Agent: Peter McGuigan, Ultra Literary. (Oct.)