Ni mwanaume au mwanamke?

ANA umriwa miaka 18, jina la kike lakini hulka na tabia za kiume.

Wazazi wa Caster Semenya, bibi yake na ndugu zake wanaamini kuwa Semenya ni mwanamke lakini wengi wanamtilia mashaka.

Mama yake mzazi, Dorcus Semenya anaamini kuwa binti yake ni mwanamke na hakuna anayeweza kubadili hilo.

Mmoja waliowahi kuwa walimu wake wakuu, Eric Mobida amesema, aligundua kuwa Semenya ni mwanamke wakati 'msichana' huyo alipokuwa na umri wa miaka 15!

Kwa mujibu wa Mobida, Semenya alikuwa mtundu, alipenda kucheza na wavulana na alipenda pia kucheza soka.

Bibi wa mwanariadha huyo, Maphuthi Sekgala, amesema, mjukuu wake anapenda namna alivyo na alikuwa ni 'msichana' pekee kwenye timu ya mpira wa miguu ya kijijini walipokuwa wanaishi.

Baba mzazi wa mwanariadha huyo, Jacob Semenya amesema, hajawahi kutilia shaka jinsi ya mwanae, Caster ni mwanamke, na anaweza kurudia kauli hiyo mara milioni na milioni.

Semenya ni mshindi wa medali ya dhahabu mbio za mita 800 katika michuano ya riadha ya dunia inayoendelea Berlin nchini Ujerumani.

Endapo itagundulika si mwanamke atanyang'anywa.

Soma hapo chini

The governing body of world athletics, the IAAF, has asked South Africa to test their star 18-year-old's gender after her muscular physique and extraordinary performances sparked speculation over whether she is really female.

But her proud mother Dorcus Semenya declared: 'I know who and what my child is. Caster is all girl, and no one can change that.'

Speaking from her home in the rural village of Seshego in South Africa's Limpopo province, the mother-of-six added:

'If you ask any of my neighbours, they would tell you that Caster is a girl.'

However, Caster's former headmaster, Eric Mobida, said she was about 15 before he realised she was a girl.

'She was always rough and played with the boys,' he said. 'She liked soccer and she wore pants to school, never a dress. It was only in grade 11 that I realised she's a girl.'

Caster's grandmother, Maphuthi Sekgala, said the athlete had been teased about her masculine appearance since the day she joined the village soccer team as the only girl.

Mrs Sekgala, 80, said: 'I know she's a woman. I raised her myself.'

Champion: Semenya has been given with her gold medal but it could be taken away if gender tests reveal she is a man - promoting Kenya's Janeth Jepkosgei Busienei to gold and Britain's Jenny Meadows to silver.

Caster's father pleaded for people to leave his daughter alone. Jacob Semenya said:

'She is my little girl. I have never doubted her gender. She is a woman, and I can repeat that a million times.'

He said he was positive the results of the IAAF gender tests would show she was a true female running hero.

Semenya's sister Nkele, 16, also defended her legitimacy as a female and said: 'People must stop calling her a man because we are proud of her.'

The ruling African National Congress called on South Africans to rally behind their 'golden girl' role model, saying:

'We condemn the motives of those who have made it their business to question her gender due to her physique and running style.