Ace Indian sprinter Hima Das qualified for the semifinal of the women`s 200 m event following her top spot finish in heat two of round one at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Birmingham on Thursday. Das was extremely fast in the race as she clocked timings of 23.42 seconds to book her ticket to the semifinal. At the second was Zambia`s Rhoda Njobvu, who clocked 23.85 seconds.

The third position was occupied by Uganda`s Jacent Nyamahunge, who finished the race with timings of 24.07 seconds. The first three athletes of five in the heat qualified for the semifinal. Notably, in Athletics, Tejaswin Shankar won India its first-ever medal in the men`s high jump event at the Commonwealth Games in its 2022 edition in Birmingham on Wednesday. India`s Shankar started with a successful jump of 2.10m in his first attempt. Shankar took a smooth jump as he cleared the 2.15m hurdle with complete ease on his first attempt. Shankar executed the 2.19m jump in an emphatic fashion.

Throughout the game, Shankar did not find any difficulty getting over the bar once again with a 2.22m jump on his first attempt itself. However, the Indian high jumper failed to get over the bar on his first attempt in the 2.25m hurdle and in his second attempt too. He decided to give 2.25m third attempt a miss and went straight for 2.28m but failed to clear it. With the failed attempts he had to settle for the bronze medal at the Birmingham 2022. Sarita Romit Singh and Manju Bala are currently in action in the Group A qualification round of Hammer Throw.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/saurav-ghosal-creates-history-becomes-1st-indian-squash-player-to-win-a-singles-medal-in-cwg-503368">Saurav Ghosal creates history, becomes 1st Indian squash player to win a singles medal in CWG</a>

From 12:12 AM, Murali Sreeshankar and Muhammed Anees will represent India in the long jump final. Indian athletes Murali Sreeshankar and Muhammed Anees Yahiya have made it to the finals of the men`s long jump event after landing in the top three in the qualification rounds of their respective groups at the ongoing Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham on Tuesday. In his group A qualification round, Sreeshankar made a jump of 8.05 m in his first attempt. This was all the Indian needed to reach the final. He was at the top of the leaderboard from the get-go and nobody could outdo him. At the second position was Laquan Nairan of Bahamas with best jump of 7.90 m. Jovan van Vuuren of South Africa was in the third position with the best jump of 7.87 m.

The top eight athletes from the group qualified for the finals. In the Group B qualification round, Anees was also off to a good start, making a jump of 7.49 m in his first attempt. He made a jump of 7.68 m in his second attempt and another 7.49 m in his third attempt, finishing with the best of 7.68 m. He finished third in his group, next to Emanuel Archibald of Guyana who had the best jump of 7.83 m in his first attempt. At the second was Christopher Mitrevski of Australia, who pulled off the best jump of 7.76 m. Anees finished and qualified for the final as the 8th-best jumper. A total of 12 athletes qualified for the final.

Ace Indian sprinter Hima Das qualified for the semifinal of the women`s 200 m event following her top spot finish in heat two of round one at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Birmingham on Thursday.

Ace Indian sprinter Hima Das qualified for the semifinal of the women`s 200 m event following her top spot finish in heat two of round one at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Birmingham on Thursday. Das was extremely fast in the race as she clocked timings of 23.42 seconds to book her ticket to the semifinal. At the second was Zambia`s Rhoda Njobvu, who clocked 23.85 seconds. The third position was occupied by Uganda`s Jacent Nyamahunge, who finished the race with timings of 24.07 seconds. The first three athletes of five in the heat qualified for the semifinal. Notably, in Athletics, Tejaswin Shankar won India its first-ever medal in the men`s high jump event at the Commonwealth Games in its 2022 edition in Birmingham on Wednesday. India`s Shankar started with a successful jump of 2.10m in his first attempt. Shankar took a smooth jump as he cleared the 2.15m hurdle with complete ease on his first attempt. Shankar executed the 2.19m jump in an emphatic fashion. Throughout the game, Shankar did not find any difficulty getting over the bar once again with a 2.22m jump on his first attempt itself. However, the Indian high jumper failed to get over the bar on his first attempt in the 2.25m hurdle and in his second attempt too. He decided to give 2.25m third attempt a miss and went straight for 2.28m but failed to clear it. With the failed attempts he had to settle for the bronze medal at the Birmingham 2022. Sarita Romit Singh and Manju Bala are currently in action in the Group A qualification round of Hammer Throw. ALSO READ | Saurav Ghosal creates history, becomes 1st Indian squash player to win a singles medal in CWG From 12:12 AM, Murali Sreeshankar and Muhammed Anees will represent India in the long jump final. Indian athletes Murali Sreeshankar and Muhammed Anees Yahiya have made it to the finals of the men`s long jump event after landing in the top three in the qualification rounds of their respective groups at the ongoing Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham on Tuesday. In his group A qualification round, Sreeshankar made a jump of 8.05 m in his first attempt. This was all the Indian needed to reach the final. He was at the top of the leaderboard from the get-go and nobody could outdo him. At the second position was Laquan Nairan of Bahamas with best jump of 7.90 m. Jovan van Vuuren of South Africa was in the third position with the best jump of 7.87 m. The top eight athletes from the group qualified for the finals. In the Group B qualification round, Anees was also off to a good start, making a jump of 7.49 m in his first attempt. He made a jump of 7.68 m in his second attempt and another 7.49 m in his third attempt, finishing with the best of 7.68 m. He finished third in his group, next to Emanuel Archibald of Guyana who had the best jump of 7.83 m in his first attempt. At the second was Christopher Mitrevski of Australia, who pulled off the best jump of 7.76 m. Anees finished and qualified for the final as the 8th-best jumper. A total of 12 athletes qualified for the final.

CWG 2022: Indian sprinter Hima Das reaches 200 m semifinal with top spot finish in heat

Ragging can severely dent an individual and his, or her, confidence in facing the gruelling outside world. It leads to depression and various other issues. Recently, Indian sprinter Dutee Chand opened up facing ragging and how it mentally affected her during her days in the sports hostel in Bhubaneshwar.&nbsp;

Dutee opened up on the entire incident while responding to a user's post, on Facebook,&nbsp;who asked for tips on how to negate ragging in educational institutions.&nbsp;The 26-year-old said, "Seniors used to force me to massage their bodies and wash their clothes at the sports hostel. When I opposed them, they used to harass me."

The revelations from Dutee came&nbsp;a day following an 18-year-old Ruchika Mohanty's suicide, a history undergraduate student from Cuttack, due to ragging. She had written in her suicide note that she was mentally tortured and ragged by three&nbsp;seniors and, hence, committed suicide after not being able to take it anymore.&nbsp;The suicide has led to a&nbsp;huge controversy in Odisha, with several reactions pouring in from all corners.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-dutee-chand-to-laurel-hubbard-controversies-related-to-gender-identity-in-sports-490669">From Dutee Chand to Caster Semenya: Controversies related to gender identity in sports</a>

Sharing more horrifying details on being ragged, Dutee further opined, "The incident had an impact on my mental condition. It is very difficult to remain focused on sports after the incidents of ragging and those who survive this stay in the hostel. But many give up and go back home."

"When I used to complain to the hostel in-charge, I used to be scolded. It used to take a mental toll on me. I was helpless at that time," the Olympian&nbsp;added.

A lot has been said and written about the ill effects of ragging upon individuals. While strict measures have been added in many educational and other institutes, it still remains a major issue in various places. One can only hope for sanity to prevail and ragging can come to an end eventually.

Ragging can severely dent an individual and his, or her, confidence in facing the gruelling outside world. It leads to depression and various other issues. Recently, Indian sprinter Dutee Chand opened up facing ragging and how it mentally affected her during her days in the sports hostel in Bhubaneshwar.

Ragging can severely dent an individual and his, or her, confidence in facing the gruelling outside world. It leads to depression and various other issues. Recently, Indian sprinter Dutee Chand opened up facing ragging and how it mentally affected her during her days in the sports hostel in Bhubaneshwar. Dutee opened up on the entire incident while responding to a user's post, on Facebook, who asked for tips on how to negate ragging in educational institutions. The 26-year-old said, "Seniors used to force me to massage their bodies and wash their clothes at the sports hostel. When I opposed them, they used to harass me." The revelations from Dutee came a day following an 18-year-old Ruchika Mohanty's suicide, a history undergraduate student from Cuttack, due to ragging. She had written in her suicide note that she was mentally tortured and ragged by three seniors and, hence, committed suicide after not being able to take it anymore. The suicide has led to a huge controversy in Odisha, with several reactions pouring in from all corners. ALSO READ | From Dutee Chand to Caster Semenya: Controversies related to gender identity in sports Sharing more horrifying details on being ragged, Dutee further opined, "The incident had an impact on my mental condition. It is very difficult to remain focused on sports after the incidents of ragging and those who survive this stay in the hostel. But many give up and go back home." "When I used to complain to the hostel in-charge, I used to be scolded. It used to take a mental toll on me. I was helpless at that time," the Olympian added. A lot has been said and written about the ill effects of ragging upon individuals. While strict measures have been added in many educational and other institutes, it still remains a major issue in various places. One can only hope for sanity to prevail and ragging can come to an end eventually.

'Seniors forced me to give them massages...': Dutee Chand on how she was 'harassed' in sports hostel

Trinidad and Tobago Olympian Deon Lendore has died aged 29 in a car accident in Texas, USA. The 400-meter sprinter competed in 3 Olympics -- including the 2020 Tokyo games -- and won the bronze medal in the 4x400 meter at the 2012 games in London.

The Texas Department of Public Safety told TMZ, Lendore was driving westbound on FM 485 in Milam County in his 2015 Volkswagen Jetta on Monday, when it crossed over the center line and "sideswiped a vehicle" coming the opposite way.

Texas DPS said Lendore was pronounced dead at the scene. Lendore also won silver in the World 4x400m in 2015. The one-lap sprinter also excelled indoors, winning three bronze medals at the World Indoor Championships.

Read Also |&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/sports/shouldnt-be-using-these-words-saina-nehwal-reacts-as-actor-siddharth-apologies-for-his-rude-joke-444063">'Shouldn't be using these words....' - Saina Nehwal reacts as actor Siddharth apologies for his 'rude joke'</a>

Two-time Olympian Gwen Berry wrote took to social media and wrote: "Wow... Rest in Power. "One thing I learned last year was the importance of LIVING," Berry said and added, "do what you want... deal with what you want... love who you want. Don`t DIE just to LIVE. You LIVE then DIE.. I`ve been happier ever since."&nbsp;

Trinidad and Tobago Olympian Deon Lendore has died aged 29 in a car accident in Texas, USA. The 400-meter sprinter competed in 3 Olympics -- including the 2020 Tokyo games -- and won the bronze medal in the 4x400 meter at the 2012 games in London.

Trinidad and Tobago Olympian Deon Lendore has died aged 29 in a car accident in Texas, USA. The 400-meter sprinter competed in 3 Olympics -- including the 2020 Tokyo games -- and won the bronze medal in the 4x400 meter at the 2012 games in London. The Texas Department of Public Safety told TMZ, Lendore was driving westbound on FM 485 in Milam County in his 2015 Volkswagen Jetta on Monday, when it crossed over the center line and "sideswiped a vehicle" coming the opposite way. Texas DPS said Lendore was pronounced dead at the scene. Lendore also won silver in the World 4x400m in 2015. The one-lap sprinter also excelled indoors, winning three bronze medals at the World Indoor Championships. Read Also | 'Shouldn't be using these words....' - Saina Nehwal reacts as actor Siddharth apologies for his 'rude joke' Two-time Olympian Gwen Berry wrote took to social media and wrote: "Wow... Rest in Power. "One thing I learned last year was the importance of LIVING," Berry said and added, "do what you want... deal with what you want... love who you want. Don`t DIE just to LIVE. You LIVE then DIE.. I`ve been happier ever since."

Three-time Olympic and World medallist sprinter Deon Lendore passes away in car accident in Texas

World leader Trayvon Bromell put up another blistering sub-10-second performance to win the Track Meet 100 metres in Irvine, California, on Saturday, an auspicious sign as he prepares for next month's US&nbsp;Olympic trials.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/tokyo-2020-olympic-stadium-holds-track-and-field-test-event-without-fans-383869" hreflang="en">Tokyo 2020: Olympic Stadium holds track and field test event without fans</a>

The 25-year-old Bromell outclassed the competition with a time of 9.92 to win by three-tenths of a second, just short of his season-best of 9.88.

"This week has been a real hard week for me for training," Bromell said in a televised interview. "I can’t let off, I can’t stop thinking about what (God) wants me to do."

The race marked his latest chapter in a remarkable comeback since he was carried off the track at the 2016 Rio Games with an Achilles injury and missed two years of racing rebuilding his body.

Fellow Olympians fine-tuned their form, with opportunities to compete dwindling ahead of the July 23 start of the COVID-delayed Tokyo Games.

Jamaican Omar McLeod, who earned a gold medal at the 2016 Rio&nbsp;Olympics, won the 110 metres hurdles in 13.11, defeating a high-class field that included 2012 London Games gold medalist Aries Merritt.

"Feeling good to be back out there –- thank God for health," said McLeod, 27, who won the event at the 2017 world championships as well. "I have mad respect for everyone out there."

Olympic gold medalist Matt Centrowitz won 1,500 metres by more than a second with a time of 3:35.26.

World leader Trayvon Bromell put up another blistering sub-10-second performance to win the Track Meet 100 metres in Irvine, California, on Saturday, an auspicious sign as he prepares for next month's US Olympic trials.

World leader Trayvon Bromell put up another blistering sub-10-second performance to win the Track Meet 100 metres in Irvine, California, on Saturday, an auspicious sign as he prepares for next month's US Olympic trials. ALSO READ: Tokyo 2020: Olympic Stadium holds track and field test event without fans The 25-year-old Bromell outclassed the competition with a time of 9.92 to win by three-tenths of a second, just short of his season-best of 9.88. "This week has been a real hard week for me for training," Bromell said in a televised interview. "I can’t let off, I can’t stop thinking about what (God) wants me to do." The race marked his latest chapter in a remarkable comeback since he was carried off the track at the 2016 Rio Games with an Achilles injury and missed two years of racing rebuilding his body. Fellow Olympians fine-tuned their form, with opportunities to compete dwindling ahead of the July 23 start of the COVID-delayed Tokyo Games. Jamaican Omar McLeod, who earned a gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics, won the 110 metres hurdles in 13.11, defeating a high-class field that included 2012 London Games gold medalist Aries Merritt. "Feeling good to be back out there –- thank God for health," said McLeod, 27, who won the event at the 2017 world championships as well. "I have mad respect for everyone out there." Olympic gold medalist Matt Centrowitz won 1,500 metres by more than a second with a time of 3:35.26.

Trayvon Bromell continues comeback to win Track Meet 100 metres

British sprinter Bianca Williams has said on Monday that she is planning to take legal action against the police after accusing them of racial profiling her and her partner in a stop-and-search operation in London.

Williams also rejected police's claim that her car was driven on the wrong side of the road on Saturday.&nbsp;

"They (the officers) said there's a lot of youth violence and stabbings in the area and that the car looked very suspicious," she told BBC radio.

"They see a black male driving a nice car, an all-black car, and they assume that he was involved in some sort of gang, drug, violence problem.

"That is false. We were never on the wrong side of the road. We were driving down through single-width roads."

The 26-year-old Commonwealth and European 100m relay gold medallist said that her partner Ricardo dos Santos, who is a Portuguese sprinter had been stopped by the police around 10 times.&nbsp;

"We are planning on taking it down the legal route," she said. "I feel very hurt by their actions... It's an awful experience."

Britain's former Olympic champion Linford Christie, who is also Bianca's coach, filmed the entire incident and posted it on Twitter. The video was captioned: "Racist police aren't just in America".

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Racist police aren't just in America <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BLM?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BLM</a> <a href="https://t.co/7DKgLnGPhc">pic.twitter.com/7DKgLnGPhc</a>
— Linford Christie (@ChristieLinford) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChristieLinford/status/1279464555547168768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 4, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The Metropolitan police have reviewed the footage from social media and officers' bodycams and were satisfied there was no concern around the conduct of the police officers.

"I understand the concern when incidents like this happen and how they can appear when part of it is filmed without context," said Met commander for central west London Helen Harper.

"Due to the concern raised, we conducted a review of the stop. This included social media footage and body-worn camera footage of the officers at the scene.

"We are satisfied that there are no misconduct issues."

British sprinter Bianca Williams has said on Monday that she is planning to take legal action against the police after accusing them of racial profiling her and her partner in a stop-and-search operation in London.

British sprinter Bianca Williams has said on Monday that she is planning to take legal action against the police after accusing them of racial profiling her and her partner in a stop-and-search operation in London. Williams also rejected police's claim that her car was driven on the wrong side of the road on Saturday. "They (the officers) said there's a lot of youth violence and stabbings in the area and that the car looked very suspicious," she told BBC radio. "They see a black male driving a nice car, an all-black car, and they assume that he was involved in some sort of gang, drug, violence problem. "That is false. We were never on the wrong side of the road. We were driving down through single-width roads." The 26-year-old Commonwealth and European 100m relay gold medallist said that her partner Ricardo dos Santos, who is a Portuguese sprinter had been stopped by the police around 10 times. "We are planning on taking it down the legal route," she said. "I feel very hurt by their actions... It's an awful experience." Britain's former Olympic champion Linford Christie, who is also Bianca's coach, filmed the entire incident and posted it on Twitter. The video was captioned: "Racist police aren't just in America". Racist police aren't just in America #BLM pic.twitter.com/7DKgLnGPhc — Linford Christie (@ChristieLinford) July 4, 2020 × The Metropolitan police have reviewed the footage from social media and officers' bodycams and were satisfied there was no concern around the conduct of the police officers. "I understand the concern when incidents like this happen and how they can appear when part of it is filmed without context," said Met commander for central west London Helen Harper. "Due to the concern raised, we conducted a review of the stop. This included social media footage and body-worn camera footage of the officers at the scene. "We are satisfied that there are no misconduct issues."

'Hurtful experience': British sprinter accuses police of racial profiling

Virat Kohli, the captain of the Indian cricket team praised India's sensational sprinter Hima Das after she grabbed five gold medals in a span of 20 days. &nbsp;

Virat took to Twitter to laud the "golden girl". He wrote, "Phenomenal achievement by our golden girl @Himadas8."

"You are certainly making us proud. Hats off to your spirit. Wish you continued success," Kohli added.&nbsp;

India's star sprinter Hima Das won an elusive gold medal in the 400m race with her season-best timing as she clocked the timing of 52.09 seconds.&nbsp;

Her personal best timing is 50.79 seconds, recorded at the 2018 Asian Games.&nbsp;

Apart from Virat,&nbsp;former India batsman Sachin Tendulkar too appreciated Hima's fabulous feat. He tweeted, "Loving the way you have been running in the European circuit over the last 19 days."

"Your hunger to win and perseverance is an inspiration for the youth. Congrats on your 5 Medals! All the best for the future races, @HimaDas8," Sachin&nbsp;added.&nbsp;

Young wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant&nbsp;also&nbsp;congratulated Das on&nbsp;her achievement, he tweeted,&nbsp;"You are an absolute inspiration @HimaDas8&nbsp;The golden girl of India salaam boss."

Former cricketer Mohammad Kaif hailed Das'&nbsp;performance. "5 golds in 19 days and I am sure 5 of the many more to come. What a Champion is @HimaDas8. Making India Proud!," Kaif tweeted.&nbsp;

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Phenomenal achievement by our golden girl <a href="https://twitter.com/HimaDas8?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Himadas8</a>. You are certainly making us proud. Hats off to your spirit. Wish you continued success. 🇮🇳 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HimaDas?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HimaDas</a>
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) <a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli/status/1153248686454890497?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 22, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Loving the way you have been running in the European circuit over the last 19 days. 
Your hunger to win and perseverance is an inspiration for the youth. 
Congrats on your 5 🥇 Medals! 
All the best for the future races, <a href="https://twitter.com/HimaDas8?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HimaDas8</a>. <a href="https://t.co/kaVdsB1AjZ">pic.twitter.com/kaVdsB1AjZ</a>
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) <a href="https://twitter.com/sachin_rt/status/1152914052005298176?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 21, 2019</a></blockquote>
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On July 2, Hima&nbsp;won her first gold medal of the year at the Poznan Athletics Grand Prix.&nbsp;After that, on July 8 at the Kutno Athletics Meet, Hima won her second 200m gold medal.&nbsp;

On July 13 at the Kladno Athletics Meet, Hima bagged her third 200m gold medal.&nbsp;She won the fourth medal gold at 200m in Tabor Athletic Meet on July 17.&nbsp;

Virat Kohli, the captain of the Indian cricket team praised India's sensational sprinter Hima Das after she grabbed five gold medals in a span of 20 days. Virat took to Twitter to laud the "golden girl".

Virat Kohli, the captain of the Indian cricket team praised India's sensational sprinter Hima Das after she grabbed five gold medals in a span of 20 days. Virat took to Twitter to laud the "golden girl". He wrote, "Phenomenal achievement by our golden girl @Himadas8." "You are certainly making us proud. Hats off to your spirit. Wish you continued success," Kohli added. India's star sprinter Hima Das won an elusive gold medal in the 400m race with her season-best timing as she clocked the timing of 52.09 seconds. Her personal best timing is 50.79 seconds, recorded at the 2018 Asian Games. Apart from Virat, former India batsman Sachin Tendulkar too appreciated Hima's fabulous feat. He tweeted, "Loving the way you have been running in the European circuit over the last 19 days." "Your hunger to win and perseverance is an inspiration for the youth. Congrats on your 5 Medals! All the best for the future races, @HimaDas8," Sachin added. Young wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant also congratulated Das on her achievement, he tweeted, "You are an absolute inspiration @HimaDas8 The golden girl of India salaam boss." Former cricketer Mohammad Kaif hailed Das' performance. "5 golds in 19 days and I am sure 5 of the many more to come. What a Champion is @HimaDas8. Making India Proud!," Kaif tweeted. Phenomenal achievement by our golden girl @Himadas8. You are certainly making us proud. Hats off to your spirit. Wish you continued success. 🇮🇳 #HimaDas — Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) July 22, 2019 × Loving the way you have been running in the European circuit over the last 19 days. Your hunger to win and perseverance is an inspiration for the youth. Congrats on your 5 🥇 Medals! All the best for the future races, @HimaDas8. pic.twitter.com/kaVdsB1AjZ — Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) July 21, 2019 × On July 2, Hima won her first gold medal of the year at the Poznan Athletics Grand Prix. After that, on July 8 at the Kutno Athletics Meet, Hima won her second 200m gold medal. On July 13 at the Kladno Athletics Meet, Hima bagged her third 200m gold medal. She won the fourth medal gold at 200m in Tabor Athletic Meet on July 17.

Virat Kohli lauds 'phenomenal' Hima Das for winning five gold medals

India's star sprinter Hima Das won an elusive gold medal in the 400m race on Saturday. Das completed the race with her season-best timing as she clocked the timing of 52.09 seconds. Her personal best timing is 50.79 seconds, recorded at the 2018 Asian Games.&nbsp;

"Finished 400m today on the top here in the Czech Republic today," Das tweeted.

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Finished 400m today on the top here in Czech Republic today 🏃‍♀️ <a href="https://t.co/1gwnXw5hN4">pic.twitter.com/1gwnXw5hN4</a>
— Hima MON JAI (@HimaDas8) <a href="https://twitter.com/HimaDas8/status/1152624286466789376?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 20, 2019</a></blockquote>
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This is her fifth gold medal since July 2 when she&nbsp;won her first gold medal of the year at the Poznan Athletics Grand Prix.&nbsp;

After that, on July 8 at the Kutno Athletics Meet, Hima won her second 200m gold medal.&nbsp;

On July 13 at the Kladno Athletics Meet, Hima bagged her third 200m gold medal.&nbsp;

She won the fourth medal gold at 200m in Tabor Athletic Meet on Wednesday.&nbsp;

India's star sprinter Hima Das won an elusive gold medal in the 400m race on Saturday. Das completed the race with her season-best timing as she clocked the timing of 52.

India's star sprinter Hima Das won an elusive gold medal in the 400m race on Saturday. Das completed the race with her season-best timing as she clocked the timing of 52.09 seconds. Her personal best timing is 50.79 seconds, recorded at the 2018 Asian Games. "Finished 400m today on the top here in the Czech Republic today," Das tweeted. Finished 400m today on the top here in Czech Republic today 🏃‍♀️ pic.twitter.com/1gwnXw5hN4 — Hima MON JAI (@HimaDas8) July 20, 2019 × This is her fifth gold medal since July 2 when she won her first gold medal of the year at the Poznan Athletics Grand Prix. After that, on July 8 at the Kutno Athletics Meet, Hima won her second 200m gold medal. On July 13 at the Kladno Athletics Meet, Hima bagged her third 200m gold medal. She won the fourth medal gold at 200m in Tabor Athletic Meet on Wednesday.

India's Hima Das wins gold in 400m race, 5th in a month

India's star sprinter Hima Das clinched an illustrious gold medal after finish top in women's 200m at the Kutno Athletics Meet in Poland on Sunday.&nbsp;

Lately, Das was struggling with a back problem but despite that, she clocked 23.97 seconds to go top of the podium. VK Vismaya clocked 24.06 to win the silver medal.&nbsp;

It is her second gold medal inside a week as she has already finished on top in the Poznan Athletics Grand Prix.&nbsp;

Earlier, for her contribution in sports, Das was conferred with the Arjuna Awards from Indian President Ram Nath Kovind this year.&nbsp;

After her historic achievements, she was named as the brand ambassador of Assam.&nbsp;

She had made the nation proud in the 18th Asian Games when she claimed the silver medal in the women's 400 metres race after clocking a time of 50.79 seconds.&nbsp;

Twitter users wished on her terrific feat:

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I would like to congratulate sprinter <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HimaDas?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HimaDas</a> for winning second international gold in women's 200m athletics at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KutnoAthleticsMeet?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KutnoAthleticsMeet</a> in Poland.
— Sandeep Gadhe (@sandeep_gadhe) <a href="https://twitter.com/sandeep_gadhe/status/1148171716704833536?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 8, 2019</a></blockquote>
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🇮🇳 🥇 
CONGRATULATIONS! 
PROUD OF YOU GOLDEN GIRL! 
 
Sprinter <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HimaDas?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HimaDas</a> wins her second international GOLD in women's 200m with a top finish at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KutnoAthleticsMeet?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KutnoAthleticsMeet</a> in Poland. <a href="https://t.co/ahH7NAqbT0">pic.twitter.com/ahH7NAqbT0</a>
— Ravindra Fauzdar BJP (@RSFBLB) <a href="https://twitter.com/RSFBLB/status/1148172134058885121?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 8, 2019</a></blockquote>
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MANY MANY CONGRATULATIONS! 
PROUD OF YOU GOLDEN GIRL!! 
Sprinter <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HimaDas?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HimaDas</a> wins her second international GOLD🥇 in women's 200m with a top finish at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KutnoAthleticsMeet?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KutnoAthleticsMeet</a> in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Poland?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Poland</a> .. <a href="https://t.co/uAFycPWLTd">pic.twitter.com/uAFycPWLTd</a>
— vijay pratap singh (@vijaylkopratap) <a href="https://twitter.com/vijaylkopratap/status/1148172372899291136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 8, 2019</a></blockquote>
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This was Hima's second competitive 200m race of the year.

India's star sprinter Hima Das clinched an illustrious gold medal after finish top in women's 200m at the Kutno Athletics Meet in Poland on Sunday. Lately, Das was struggling with a back problem but despite that, she clocked 23.

India's star sprinter Hima Das clinched an illustrious gold medal after finish top in women's 200m at the Kutno Athletics Meet in Poland on Sunday. Lately, Das was struggling with a back problem but despite that, she clocked 23.97 seconds to go top of the podium. VK Vismaya clocked 24.06 to win the silver medal. It is her second gold medal inside a week as she has already finished on top in the Poznan Athletics Grand Prix. Earlier, for her contribution in sports, Das was conferred with the Arjuna Awards from Indian President Ram Nath Kovind this year. After her historic achievements, she was named as the brand ambassador of Assam. She had made the nation proud in the 18th Asian Games when she claimed the silver medal in the women's 400 metres race after clocking a time of 50.79 seconds. Twitter users wished on her terrific feat: I would like to congratulate sprinter #HimaDas for winning second international gold in women's 200m athletics at #KutnoAthleticsMeet in Poland. — Sandeep Gadhe (@sandeep_gadhe) July 8, 2019 × 🇮🇳 🥇 CONGRATULATIONS! PROUD OF YOU GOLDEN GIRL! Sprinter #HimaDas wins her second international GOLD in women's 200m with a top finish at #KutnoAthleticsMeet in Poland. pic.twitter.com/ahH7NAqbT0 — Ravindra Fauzdar BJP (@RSFBLB) July 8, 2019 × MANY MANY CONGRATULATIONS! PROUD OF YOU GOLDEN GIRL!! Sprinter #HimaDas wins her second international GOLD🥇 in women's 200m with a top finish at #KutnoAthleticsMeet in #Poland .. pic.twitter.com/uAFycPWLTd — vijay pratap singh (@vijaylkopratap) July 8, 2019 × This was Hima's second competitive 200m race of the year.

India's star sprinter Hima Das wins second international gold inside a week

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/south-african-government-instructs-athletics-body-to-appeal-caster-semenya-decision-218435">Caster Semenya</a> will compete in the 3,000 metres at the Diamond League's Prefontaine Classic in Stanford, California on June 30, a distance she can race without reducing her testosterone levels.

Semenya, who has won two Olympic golds over 800 metres, has been adamant that she will not take medication to lower her testosterone levels to comply with new International Associations of Athletics (IAAF) rules.

The race will be her first since the new rules went into effect.

Under the new regulations, female athletes with high natural levels of testosterone wishing to compete in events from 400m to a mile must medically limit that level to under 5 nmol/L, double the normal female range of below 2 nmol/L.

Barring an appeal, Semenya can no longer compete in her specialist event after she lost her appeal against the new rules, with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) stating that the regulations were necessary to ensure fair competition.

Semenya will form part of a formidable field at the Prefontaine Classic that includes world 5,000-metres champion Hellen Obiri, 2016 world indoor 1,500-metres champion Sifan Hassan, and 2018 world indoor 1,500 and 3,000-metres champion Genzebe Dibaba.

"It was a request from Caster Semenya's agent asking if she could run a 3,000," meet director Tom Jordan told Reuters. "Of course we said yes."

The event is sponsored by Nike, who have Semenya in their stable of athletes. &nbsp;

Semenya became South African national champion in the 5,000 metres in April, but is some way off the leading runners in the world over that distance.

The flat 3,000 metres is not contested at the Olympic Games, but a steeplechase over the distance is on the list of events.

Semenya has a personal best of 9:36.29 in the flat 3,000 metres, the slowest of the runners in the Prefontaine Classic, with Dibaba (8:16.60) the quickest.

The South African’s last race over 800 metres was in the Diamond League in Doha on May 3, when she cruised to victory in 1:54.98, nearly three seconds ahead of Burundi's Francine Niyonsaba.

"I'm a crazy athlete, I switch events like hell but, yeah, 800 metres is my calling, I believe in it, and that's what I want to do," she said after winning in Doha.

"I will switch races when I want to -- no man can tell me what to do. I'm here for a purpose, if I want to switch events I switch them, but if someone wants me to switch them, that's their own problem, not mine.

"I'm a power athlete, I can run from 100 metres to 5 km, so I can run any race I want."

The Prefontaine Classic is being staged in Stanford, California this year while a new stadium is built in Eugene, Oregon for the 2021 world championships.

Caster Semenya will compete in the 3,000 metres at the Diamond League's Prefontaine Classic in Stanford, California on June 30, a distance she can race without reducing her testosterone levels.

Caster Semenya will compete in the 3,000 metres at the Diamond League's Prefontaine Classic in Stanford, California on June 30, a distance she can race without reducing her testosterone levels. Semenya, who has won two Olympic golds over 800 metres, has been adamant that she will not take medication to lower her testosterone levels to comply with new International Associations of Athletics (IAAF) rules. The race will be her first since the new rules went into effect. Under the new regulations, female athletes with high natural levels of testosterone wishing to compete in events from 400m to a mile must medically limit that level to under 5 nmol/L, double the normal female range of below 2 nmol/L. Barring an appeal, Semenya can no longer compete in her specialist event after she lost her appeal against the new rules, with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) stating that the regulations were necessary to ensure fair competition. Semenya will form part of a formidable field at the Prefontaine Classic that includes world 5,000-metres champion Hellen Obiri, 2016 world indoor 1,500-metres champion Sifan Hassan, and 2018 world indoor 1,500 and 3,000-metres champion Genzebe Dibaba. "It was a request from Caster Semenya's agent asking if she could run a 3,000," meet director Tom Jordan told Reuters. "Of course we said yes." The event is sponsored by Nike, who have Semenya in their stable of athletes. Semenya became South African national champion in the 5,000 metres in April, but is some way off the leading runners in the world over that distance. The flat 3,000 metres is not contested at the Olympic Games, but a steeplechase over the distance is on the list of events. Semenya has a personal best of 9:36.29 in the flat 3,000 metres, the slowest of the runners in the Prefontaine Classic, with Dibaba (8:16.60) the quickest. The South African’s last race over 800 metres was in the Diamond League in Doha on May 3, when she cruised to victory in 1:54.98, nearly three seconds ahead of Burundi's Francine Niyonsaba. "I'm a crazy athlete, I switch events like hell but, yeah, 800 metres is my calling, I believe in it, and that's what I want to do," she said after winning in Doha. "I will switch races when I want to -- no man can tell me what to do. I'm here for a purpose, if I want to switch events I switch them, but if someone wants me to switch them, that's their own problem, not mine. "I'm a power athlete, I can run from 100 metres to 5 km, so I can run any race I want." The Prefontaine Classic is being staged in Stanford, California this year while a new stadium is built in Eugene, Oregon for the 2021 world championships.

Caster Semenya to contest 3,000-metres at Prefontaine Classic

Indian sprinter Duttee Chand said that her sister is blackmailing her because of which she&nbsp;came out in public about her same-sex relationship.&nbsp;

Duttee said, "My own sister is blackmailing me, she asked me for Rs 25 lakh. She had once beaten me, I'd reported to the police."

"Since she was blackmailing me, I was forced to come out about my relationship," she added.&nbsp;

Earlier her eldest sister Saraswati, who is also an athlete had <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/dutee-chand-was-pressurised-and-blackmailed-for-admitting-same-sex-relation-claims-her-sister-220068">threatened to not only expel her from the family</a> but also send her to jail.&nbsp;

Saraswati even claimed, "With great sorrow, I have to say that the decision taken by Dutee is not of her own. She's been pressurised and blackmailed into marriage by that girl and her family. All of this has been done to grab the property and wealth of Dutee."&nbsp;

"Dutee's life and property are in danger. That's why I request the government to provide protection and security to Dutee," Saraswati added.&nbsp;

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Dutee won a landmark 'gender' case against the IAAF in an appeal to the Court of Arbitration in 2015 and she was allowed to compete after being banned for one year.&nbsp;

The CAS suspended the IAAF's policy on hyperandrogenism for two years.&nbsp;

Later the world body changed the policy, which applicable only on female athletes competing in the range of 400m to 1500m, leaving out Dutee, who competes in 100m and 200m, from its ambit.

Indian sprinter Duttee Chand said that her sister is blackmailing her because of which she came out in public about her same-sex relationship. Duttee said, "My own sister is blackmailing me, she asked me for Rs 25 lakh.

Indian sprinter Duttee Chand said that her sister is blackmailing her because of which she came out in public about her same-sex relationship. Duttee said, "My own sister is blackmailing me, she asked me for Rs 25 lakh. She had once beaten me, I'd reported to the police." "Since she was blackmailing me, I was forced to come out about my relationship," she added. Earlier her eldest sister Saraswati, who is also an athlete had threatened to not only expel her from the family but also send her to jail. Saraswati even claimed, "With great sorrow, I have to say that the decision taken by Dutee is not of her own. She's been pressurised and blackmailed into marriage by that girl and her family. All of this has been done to grab the property and wealth of Dutee." "Dutee's life and property are in danger. That's why I request the government to provide protection and security to Dutee," Saraswati added. × Dutee won a landmark 'gender' case against the IAAF in an appeal to the Court of Arbitration in 2015 and she was allowed to compete after being banned for one year. The CAS suspended the IAAF's policy on hyperandrogenism for two years. Later the world body changed the policy, which applicable only on female athletes competing in the range of 400m to 1500m, leaving out Dutee, who competes in 100m and 200m, from its ambit.

Dutee Chand: My own sister is blackmailing me, she asked me for Rs 25 lakh

Indian sprinter Dutee Chand recently <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/sprinter-dutee-chand-faces-expulsion-from-family-after-revealing-same-sex-relationship-219884">opened up about her same-sex relationship</a> with a younger relative, however, the revelation did not go well with her family.&nbsp;

She said that her parents have not yet raised any objection to her relationship but her eldest sister has threatened to not only expel her from the family but also send her to jail.&nbsp;

Now, the elder sister Saraswati, who is also an athlete, is claiming that the sprinter's partner "pressurised and blackmailed" her for wealth and property.&nbsp;

"With great sorrow, I have to say that the decision taken by Dutee is not of her own. She's been pressurised and blackmailed into marriage by that girl and her family. All of this has been done to grab the property and wealth of Dutee," Saraswati Chand, elder sister of the Asian Games medalist told ANI.

"Dutee's life and property are in danger. That's why I request the government to provide protection and security to Dutee," she added.&nbsp;

When asked if the family is supportive of Dutee's relation, Saraswati said, "She is an adult. It's her decision whether she wants to marry a girl or a boy. But Dutee has been forced to speak all this. Otherwise, a decision about marriage could have been discussed later."&nbsp;

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"Those people who claim to have played a role in Dutee's success are the culprits. It's them who are deviating her from sports and miring her into controversy. She's been led into a trap. Instead of focusing on the 2020 Olympics and World Championship, she's been dragged into this. Every government department has been encouraging her for sports," she added.&nbsp;

"When a child excels, family members are happy. They get social prestige and people congratulate parents as well. On the contrary, if a child commits wrong deeds then the only family will take the responsibility," Saraswati opined. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Indian sprinter Dutee Chand recently opened up about her same-sex relationship with a younger relative, however, the revelation did not go well with her family. She said that her parents have not yet raised any objection to her relationship but her eldest sister has threatened to not only expel her from the family but also send her to jail.

Indian sprinter Dutee Chand recently opened up about her same-sex relationship with a younger relative, however, the revelation did not go well with her family. She said that her parents have not yet raised any objection to her relationship but her eldest sister has threatened to not only expel her from the family but also send her to jail. Now, the elder sister Saraswati, who is also an athlete, is claiming that the sprinter's partner "pressurised and blackmailed" her for wealth and property. "With great sorrow, I have to say that the decision taken by Dutee is not of her own. She's been pressurised and blackmailed into marriage by that girl and her family. All of this has been done to grab the property and wealth of Dutee," Saraswati Chand, elder sister of the Asian Games medalist told ANI. "Dutee's life and property are in danger. That's why I request the government to provide protection and security to Dutee," she added. When asked if the family is supportive of Dutee's relation, Saraswati said, "She is an adult. It's her decision whether she wants to marry a girl or a boy. But Dutee has been forced to speak all this. Otherwise, a decision about marriage could have been discussed later." × "Those people who claim to have played a role in Dutee's success are the culprits. It's them who are deviating her from sports and miring her into controversy. She's been led into a trap. Instead of focusing on the 2020 Olympics and World Championship, she's been dragged into this. Every government department has been encouraging her for sports," she added. "When a child excels, family members are happy. They get social prestige and people congratulate parents as well. On the contrary, if a child commits wrong deeds then the only family will take the responsibility," Saraswati opined. (With inputs from agencies)

Dutee Chand was 'pressurised and blackmailed' for admitting same-sex relation, claims her sister

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/caster-semenya-takes-gender-rule-challenge-to-sports-court-198087">Caster Semenya</a> has said the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) breached confidentiality regulations ahead of her appeal hearing on Monday where she is fighting for her athletics future.

The South African 800-metres double Olympic champion is seeking to overturn a new set of IAAF regulations that are aimed at lowering the testosterone levels of hyperandrogenic athletes.

The appeal, being heard at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Switzerland, could be a landmark case for the sport with wide-reaching consequences.

Semenya believes the IAAF breached confidentiality rules of the hearing after they released the names of five expert witnesses they will bring to the CAS to testify on their behalf.

"The arbitration proceedings are subject to strict confidentiality provisions and this information should not have been released‚" Semenya's lawyers said in a statement on Monday.

"Ms Semenya believes the IAAF press release is a clear breach of the confidentiality provisions that was orchestrated in an effort to influence public opinion in circumstances where the IAAF knew that Ms Semenya would not be prepared to respond because she was complying with her confidentiality obligations.

"As a matter of fairness Ms Semenya raised this issue with the CAS and has been granted permission to publicly release information responding to the IAAF press release‚ including disclosing the experts who are testifying in support of Ms Semenya's case. This information will be released tomorrow."

An IAAF spokesperson told Reuters they believe they were within their rights to make their witness list public.

"The IAAF does not believe the list of witnesses it will be calling is confidential, just their evidence at CAS," the spokesperson said.

"CAS left the decision for all parties to release their witness list to the parties involved. This was agreed."

The IAAF have named Dr Angelica Hirschberg, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, as a witness, along with David Handelsman, Professor of Reproductive Endocrinology and Andrology at the University of Sydney, and physicist Joanna Harper.

The other two witnesses will be Doriane Coleman, a Professor of Law at Duke Law School, and Richard Auchus, a former Professor of pharmacology at the University of Michigan.

The IAAF regulations stipulate that women with elevated testosterone take medication to reduce their level before being allowed to compete, but only in the middle-distance events of between 400- and 1500-metres where it is claimed the advantage is most felt.

'FAIR COMPETITION'

IAAF President Sebastian Coe told reporters on Monday that the regulations are aimed at levelling the field between hyperandrogenic athletes and those with normal levels of testosterone.

"The core value for the IAAF is the empowerment of girls and women through athletics. The regulations that we are introducing are there to protect the sanctity of fair and open competition," he said.

The IAAF's previous attempts to regulate testosterone in female athletes fell foul of a CAS ruling in 2015 following an appeal on behalf of Indian Dutee Chand, who had been banned from competing because of her high levels.

CAS claimed in their judgement that the IAAF had not provided sufficient evidence that hyperandrogenic athletes gained a significant advantage due to their testosterone count.

The global governing body now claims to have that evidence, but it is believed Semenya will bring experts to prove holes in the IAAF research during the hearing that is scheduled for five days.

A verdict could take up to a month to be reached, according to CAS.

Caster Semenya has said the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) breached confidentiality regulations ahead of her appeal hearing on Monday where she is fighting for her athletics future.

Caster Semenya has said the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) breached confidentiality regulations ahead of her appeal hearing on Monday where she is fighting for her athletics future. The South African 800-metres double Olympic champion is seeking to overturn a new set of IAAF regulations that are aimed at lowering the testosterone levels of hyperandrogenic athletes. The appeal, being heard at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Switzerland, could be a landmark case for the sport with wide-reaching consequences. Semenya believes the IAAF breached confidentiality rules of the hearing after they released the names of five expert witnesses they will bring to the CAS to testify on their behalf. "The arbitration proceedings are subject to strict confidentiality provisions and this information should not have been released‚" Semenya's lawyers said in a statement on Monday. "Ms Semenya believes the IAAF press release is a clear breach of the confidentiality provisions that was orchestrated in an effort to influence public opinion in circumstances where the IAAF knew that Ms Semenya would not be prepared to respond because she was complying with her confidentiality obligations. "As a matter of fairness Ms Semenya raised this issue with the CAS and has been granted permission to publicly release information responding to the IAAF press release‚ including disclosing the experts who are testifying in support of Ms Semenya's case. This information will be released tomorrow." An IAAF spokesperson told Reuters they believe they were within their rights to make their witness list public. "The IAAF does not believe the list of witnesses it will be calling is confidential, just their evidence at CAS," the spokesperson said. "CAS left the decision for all parties to release their witness list to the parties involved. This was agreed." The IAAF have named Dr Angelica Hirschberg, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, as a witness, along with David Handelsman, Professor of Reproductive Endocrinology and Andrology at the University of Sydney, and physicist Joanna Harper. The other two witnesses will be Doriane Coleman, a Professor of Law at Duke Law School, and Richard Auchus, a former Professor of pharmacology at the University of Michigan. The IAAF regulations stipulate that women with elevated testosterone take medication to reduce their level before being allowed to compete, but only in the middle-distance events of between 400- and 1500-metres where it is claimed the advantage is most felt. 'FAIR COMPETITION' IAAF President Sebastian Coe told reporters on Monday that the regulations are aimed at levelling the field between hyperandrogenic athletes and those with normal levels of testosterone. "The core value for the IAAF is the empowerment of girls and women through athletics. The regulations that we are introducing are there to protect the sanctity of fair and open competition," he said. The IAAF's previous attempts to regulate testosterone in female athletes fell foul of a CAS ruling in 2015 following an appeal on behalf of Indian Dutee Chand, who had been banned from competing because of her high levels. CAS claimed in their judgement that the IAAF had not provided sufficient evidence that hyperandrogenic athletes gained a significant advantage due to their testosterone count. The global governing body now claims to have that evidence, but it is believed Semenya will bring experts to prove holes in the IAAF research during the hearing that is scheduled for five days. A verdict could take up to a month to be reached, according to CAS.

Caster Semenya accuses IAAF of breach of regulations at CAS hearing

Olympic 800 metres champion <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/caster-semenya-says-she-is-unquestionably-a-woman-197551">Caster Semenya</a> of South Africa went to the Court of Arbitration for Sport on Monday to challenge proposed rules that could force her to lower her testosterone levels.

Semenya made no comment as she arrived at the court in Lausanne for the start of a week-long hearing that could define the rest of the 28-year-old's career.

The South African government has said the rules set out by track and field's governing body, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), specifically target Semenya and has called them a "gross violation" of her human rights.

The controversial measures would force so-called "hyperandrogenic" athletes or those with "differences of sexual development" (DSD) to take drugs to lower their testosterone levels below a prescribed amount if they wish to continue competing.

The rules were to have been introduced last November but have been put on hold pending this week's hearings. A judgement is expected at the end of March.

IAAF President Sebastian Coe, arriving at the court, said: "Today is a very, very important day.

"The regulations that we are introducing are there to protect the sanctity of fair and open competition."

The chief advocate for Athletics South Africa, Norman Arendse, said Semenya would give evidence.

"The whole week is going to be important. Obviously the evidence will be evaluated and assessed at the end of the process this week. so today this is the start," he told reporters.

The issue is highly emotive.

When British newspaper The Times reported last week that the IAAF would argue that Semenya should be classified as a biological male -- a claim later denied by the IAAF -- she hit back, saying she was "unquestionably a woman".

In response to the report, the IAAF -- stressing it was referring in general terms, not to Semenya in particular -- denied it intended to classify any DSD athlete as male.

But in a statement, it added: "If a DSD athlete has testes and male levels of testosterone, they get the same increases in bone and muscle size and strength and increases in haemoglobin that a male gets when they go through puberty, which is what gives men such a performance advantage over women.

"Therefore, to preserve fair competition in the female category, it is necessary to require DSD athletes to reduce their testosterone down to female levels before they compete at international level."

Navratilova support

Semenya is not the only athlete potentially affected -- the silver and bronze medallists in the Rio Olympics 800m, Francine Niyonsaba of Burundi and Kenya's Margaret Wambui, have also faced questions about their testosterone levels.

But it is Semenya, who also won Olympic gold in 2012 and has three world titles to her name, who has led opposition to the proposed rules.

Matthieu Reeb, CAS Secretary General, said the case was highly unusual.

"It is unusual and unprecedented because we never had a such a case at CAS," he said. "What is going to happen I am not able to say, but it is going to be important for sure."

South Africa's Sports Minister Tokozile Xasa argues that the rules are "discriminatory".

"What's at stake here is far more than the right to participate in a sport. Women's bodies, their wellbeing, their ability to earn a livelihood, their very identity, their privacy and sense of safety and belonging in the world, are being questioned," Xasa said on Friday.

On Sunday, tennis great Martina Navratilova threw her weight behind Semenya.

The 18-time Grand Slam singles winner said it was significant that the rules would only apply to female athletes competing in distances from 400m to a mile.

"Leaving out sprints and longer distances seems to me to be a clear case of discrimination by targeting Semenya," Navratilova wrote in&nbsp;Britain's Sunday Times newspaper.

"And can it be right to order athletes to take medication? What if the long-term effects proved harmful?... I hope she wins."

Olympic 800 metres champion Caster Semenya of South Africa went to the Court of Arbitration for Sport on Monday to challenge proposed rules that could force her to lower her testosterone levels.

Olympic 800 metres champion Caster Semenya of South Africa went to the Court of Arbitration for Sport on Monday to challenge proposed rules that could force her to lower her testosterone levels. Semenya made no comment as she arrived at the court in Lausanne for the start of a week-long hearing that could define the rest of the 28-year-old's career. The South African government has said the rules set out by track and field's governing body, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), specifically target Semenya and has called them a "gross violation" of her human rights. The controversial measures would force so-called "hyperandrogenic" athletes or those with "differences of sexual development" (DSD) to take drugs to lower their testosterone levels below a prescribed amount if they wish to continue competing. The rules were to have been introduced last November but have been put on hold pending this week's hearings. A judgement is expected at the end of March. IAAF President Sebastian Coe, arriving at the court, said: "Today is a very, very important day. "The regulations that we are introducing are there to protect the sanctity of fair and open competition." The chief advocate for Athletics South Africa, Norman Arendse, said Semenya would give evidence. "The whole week is going to be important. Obviously the evidence will be evaluated and assessed at the end of the process this week. so today this is the start," he told reporters. The issue is highly emotive. When British newspaper The Times reported last week that the IAAF would argue that Semenya should be classified as a biological male -- a claim later denied by the IAAF -- she hit back, saying she was "unquestionably a woman". In response to the report, the IAAF -- stressing it was referring in general terms, not to Semenya in particular -- denied it intended to classify any DSD athlete as male. But in a statement, it added: "If a DSD athlete has testes and male levels of testosterone, they get the same increases in bone and muscle size and strength and increases in haemoglobin that a male gets when they go through puberty, which is what gives men such a performance advantage over women. "Therefore, to preserve fair competition in the female category, it is necessary to require DSD athletes to reduce their testosterone down to female levels before they compete at international level." Navratilova support Semenya is not the only athlete potentially affected -- the silver and bronze medallists in the Rio Olympics 800m, Francine Niyonsaba of Burundi and Kenya's Margaret Wambui, have also faced questions about their testosterone levels. But it is Semenya, who also won Olympic gold in 2012 and has three world titles to her name, who has led opposition to the proposed rules. Matthieu Reeb, CAS Secretary General, said the case was highly unusual. "It is unusual and unprecedented because we never had a such a case at CAS," he said. "What is going to happen I am not able to say, but it is going to be important for sure." South Africa's Sports Minister Tokozile Xasa argues that the rules are "discriminatory". "What's at stake here is far more than the right to participate in a sport. Women's bodies, their wellbeing, their ability to earn a livelihood, their very identity, their privacy and sense of safety and belonging in the world, are being questioned," Xasa said on Friday. On Sunday, tennis great Martina Navratilova threw her weight behind Semenya. The 18-time Grand Slam singles winner said it was significant that the rules would only apply to female athletes competing in distances from 400m to a mile. "Leaving out sprints and longer distances seems to me to be a clear case of discrimination by targeting Semenya," Navratilova wrote in Britain's Sunday Times newspaper. "And can it be right to order athletes to take medication? What if the long-term effects proved harmful?... I hope she wins."

Caster Semenya takes gender rule challenge to sports court

Superstar sprinter <a href="http://www.wionews.com/search?q=usain+bolt">Usain Bolt</a> is adamant he can become a professional footballer despite his trial with an Australian club ending, insisting Saturday: "I still have it".

The eight-time Olympic champion's "indefinite" try-out period with the A-League's Central Coast Mariners <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/usain-bolt-trial-finished-at-central-coast-mariners-175039">collapsed on Friday after contract talks failed</a>.

The club reportedly offered him only a fraction of the Aus$3 million (US$2.1 million) his managers were seeking, and the outside sponsors needed to make the deal viable could not be found.

"It's sad that it didn’t work out," the Jamaican 100m and 200m world record holder told Melbourne's Herald Sun newspaper at the Derby Day horse races in Melbourne, where he arrived in a suit, sunglasses and with a gold-handled cane.

"But we parted on good terms, and that's a good thing.

"I had a great experience with them. The guys were great -- we just couldn't work out things with the contract, but hopefully I get another chance with another team."

Bolt, who retired from athletics last year, has long dreamed of becoming a soccer player and had been training with the Mariners since August, sparking global interest when he scored two goals in a pre-season friendly.

But the staunch Manchester United fan's abilities were questioned by pundits and some players and he has now had trials with clubs in Germany, South Africa, Norway, and Australia to no avail.

Asked if he would keep pursuing his quest to become a footballer despite another setback, the 32-year-old said: "For sure.

"We'll see what happens. I think people are still contacting my agent now about opportunities, so we'll see in which direction it goes.

"For me, I've learned that I still have it.&nbsp;

"I figure that I was improving a lot, so as you can see from the first game to the last game, I really improved and did better. I've learned that it's a little bit harder, but it's all about dedication and work with the team."

Bolt recently turned down a trial-free contract from cashed-up Maltese champions Valletta to focus on trying to make the grade in Australia.

He has been urged by the head of the Jamaican FA to return home and play for a local club, with the prospect that he could be called up for international duty.

Superstar sprinter Usain Bolt is adamant he can become a professional footballer despite his trial with an Australian club ending, insisting Saturday: "I still have it".

Superstar sprinter Usain Bolt is adamant he can become a professional footballer despite his trial with an Australian club ending, insisting Saturday: "I still have it". The eight-time Olympic champion's "indefinite" try-out period with the A-League's Central Coast Mariners collapsed on Friday after contract talks failed. The club reportedly offered him only a fraction of the Aus$3 million (US$2.1 million) his managers were seeking, and the outside sponsors needed to make the deal viable could not be found. "It's sad that it didn’t work out," the Jamaican 100m and 200m world record holder told Melbourne's Herald Sun newspaper at the Derby Day horse races in Melbourne, where he arrived in a suit, sunglasses and with a gold-handled cane. "But we parted on good terms, and that's a good thing. "I had a great experience with them. The guys were great -- we just couldn't work out things with the contract, but hopefully I get another chance with another team." Bolt, who retired from athletics last year, has long dreamed of becoming a soccer player and had been training with the Mariners since August, sparking global interest when he scored two goals in a pre-season friendly. But the staunch Manchester United fan's abilities were questioned by pundits and some players and he has now had trials with clubs in Germany, South Africa, Norway, and Australia to no avail. Asked if he would keep pursuing his quest to become a footballer despite another setback, the 32-year-old said: "For sure. "We'll see what happens. I think people are still contacting my agent now about opportunities, so we'll see in which direction it goes. "For me, I've learned that I still have it. "I figure that I was improving a lot, so as you can see from the first game to the last game, I really improved and did better. I've learned that it's a little bit harder, but it's all about dedication and work with the team." Bolt recently turned down a trial-free contract from cashed-up Maltese champions Valletta to focus on trying to make the grade in Australia. He has been urged by the head of the Jamaican FA to return home and play for a local club, with the prospect that he could be called up for international duty.

Usain Bolt hopeful of getting 'another chance'

Usain Bolt has finished his football trial at Central Coast Mariners and will leave the club after failing to agree on commercial terms, the A-League side said on Friday.

The Olympic sprint champion's mission to win a professional contract in Australia at the age of 32 dominated the A-League's pre-season and proved a marketing boost to the sleepy Central Coast region north of Sydney.

But his performances in training and trial matches over the last two months did little to remove doubts about the eight-time Olympic gold medallist's chances of making the grade.

Mariners owner Mike Charlesworth said the Mariners had been "thrilled" to have worked with the Jamaican.

"Despite the fact that we could not come to an agreement that would continue Usain Bolt's football journey with the Central Coast Mariners, we've been thrilled to have the Olympic champion sprinter and world record holder as part of our Club for these past eight weeks,” he said in a joint statement with Bolt.

The Mariners said they had worked with Bolt and his agent Ricky Simms to engage with external partners in a bid to strike a commercial deal.

"Despite several promising potential partners, both Bolt and the Central Coast Mariners have amicably concluded that they will not be able to settle on a suitable deal in a timely manner," the statement said.

Bolt thanked the club and wished them well for the new season.

"I would like to thank the Central Coast Mariners owners, management, staff, players and fans for making me feel so welcome during my time there. I wish the club success for the season ahead,” he said.

Bolt drew thousands of fans to Mariners' pre-season games that would normally struggle to draw a few hundred, and his two goals in a match against a local amateur side generated headlines worldwide.

However, it was not enough for the Mike Mulvey-coached club to produce a contract before the season started last month.

With the league's next registration period not opening until Jan. 3, that left Bolt as little more than a high-profile cheerleader.

Football Federation Australia CEO David Gallop also said he would not dig into the A-League's marquee fund to secure a contract with Bolt.

Usain Bolt has finished his football trial at Central Coast Mariners and will leave the club after failing to agree on commercial terms, the A-League side said on Friday.

Usain Bolt has finished his football trial at Central Coast Mariners and will leave the club after failing to agree on commercial terms, the A-League side said on Friday. The Olympic sprint champion's mission to win a professional contract in Australia at the age of 32 dominated the A-League's pre-season and proved a marketing boost to the sleepy Central Coast region north of Sydney. But his performances in training and trial matches over the last two months did little to remove doubts about the eight-time Olympic gold medallist's chances of making the grade. Mariners owner Mike Charlesworth said the Mariners had been "thrilled" to have worked with the Jamaican. "Despite the fact that we could not come to an agreement that would continue Usain Bolt's football journey with the Central Coast Mariners, we've been thrilled to have the Olympic champion sprinter and world record holder as part of our Club for these past eight weeks,” he said in a joint statement with Bolt. The Mariners said they had worked with Bolt and his agent Ricky Simms to engage with external partners in a bid to strike a commercial deal. "Despite several promising potential partners, both Bolt and the Central Coast Mariners have amicably concluded that they will not be able to settle on a suitable deal in a timely manner," the statement said. Bolt thanked the club and wished them well for the new season. "I would like to thank the Central Coast Mariners owners, management, staff, players and fans for making me feel so welcome during my time there. I wish the club success for the season ahead,” he said. Bolt drew thousands of fans to Mariners' pre-season games that would normally struggle to draw a few hundred, and his two goals in a match against a local amateur side generated headlines worldwide. However, it was not enough for the Mike Mulvey-coached club to produce a contract before the season started last month. With the league's next registration period not opening until Jan. 3, that left Bolt as little more than a high-profile cheerleader. Football Federation Australia CEO David Gallop also said he would not dig into the A-League's marquee fund to secure a contract with Bolt.

Usain Bolt trial finished at Central Coast Mariners

Indian sprinter Dutee Chand made the cut for the women&#39;s 100m at the Rio Olympics today, less than a year after she was cleared to race following the Court of Arbitration for Sport&#39;s (CAS) ruling on gender testing guidelines. 
 
The Lausanne-based court suspended the governing International Association of Athletics Federations&#39; (IAAF) regulations regarding hyperandrogenism, a condition which produces high testosterone levels, for two years. 
 
It cleared the way for Chand to compete again in both domestic and international events after she was forced to sit out about a year of competition. 
 
She clocked a national record 11.30 seconds in the 100m heats at the G. Kosanov Memorial Meet in Almaty, Kazakhstan, to qualify for the Rio Games, the qualifying mark for which was set at 11.32. 
 
&quot;I am really happy at the moment,&quot; she said in a statement. &quot;It has been a tough year for me and I am so happy that my coach ... and my hard work has paid off.&nbsp;I would like to thank all the people in India who were praying for me to qualify. Your wishes have paid off.&quot; 
 
The daughter of weavers from Odisha, Chand was dropped from India&#39;s contingent for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games in Incheon after her naturally-occurring testosterone levels were found to be in breach of IAAF&#39;s guidelines. 
 
She was advised to have surgery and take medication, but instead decided to challenge the guidelines at CAS, who asked the IAAF to present scientific evidence proving enhanced testosterone levels improved performance in hyperandrogenic athletes. 
 
South Africa&#39;s former world champion 800m runner Caster Semenya was also subjected to gender testing by the IAAF before being cleared to compete as a woman. 
 
The Rio Olympics take place from August 5-21. 
 
(Reuters)

Chand was dropped from Glasgow Commonwealth Games and Asian Games after her high testosterone levels were found

Indian sprinter Dutee Chand made the cut for the women's 100m at the Rio Olympics today, less than a year after she was cleared to race following the Court of Arbitration for Sport's (CAS) ruling on gender testing guidelines. The Lausanne-based court suspended the governing International Association of Athletics Federations' (IAAF) regulations regarding hyperandrogenism, a condition which produces high testosterone levels, for two years. It cleared the way for Chand to compete again in both domestic and international events after she was forced to sit out about a year of competition. She clocked a national record 11.30 seconds in the 100m heats at the G. Kosanov Memorial Meet in Almaty, Kazakhstan, to qualify for the Rio Games, the qualifying mark for which was set at 11.32. "I am really happy at the moment," she said in a statement. "It has been a tough year for me and I am so happy that my coach ... and my hard work has paid off. I would like to thank all the people in India who were praying for me to qualify. Your wishes have paid off." The daughter of weavers from Odisha, Chand was dropped from India's contingent for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games in Incheon after her naturally-occurring testosterone levels were found to be in breach of IAAF's guidelines. She was advised to have surgery and take medication, but instead decided to challenge the guidelines at CAS, who asked the IAAF to present scientific evidence proving enhanced testosterone levels improved performance in hyperandrogenic athletes. South Africa's former world champion 800m runner Caster Semenya was also subjected to gender testing by the IAAF before being cleared to compete as a woman. The Rio Olympics take place from August 5-21. (Reuters)

Indian sprinter Dutee Chand qualifies for Rio Olympics following ruling on gender testing

American sprinter Allyson Felix promises to be ready for Rio next month after a &quot;disappointing&quot; performance at the US Olympic trials that saw her fall short of qualifying to run a 200/400 double at the games. 
 
&quot;I do feel good going into Rio, my focus has not shifted from what I had hoped to do,&quot; said Felix, who met with the media in Beverly Hills following the trials. 
 
&quot;I think that what happened to me was just unfortunate. I think injuries are a part of sport and it is something that you just have to deal with. For me I feel so grateful to have made this team at all as two months ago I was not walking at all. So its pretty amazing to me that I&#39;m still going to Rio and while it doesn&#39;t look exactly how I hoped it would. But I&#39;m still going after it with everything I have.&quot; 
 
The defending Olympic champion at the 200 metre distance finished fourth at the trials, one spot short of earning the chance to defend her title. 
 
Felix cited a freak ankle injury in the spring that impacted her training. She will still be representing the US in the 400 metre run with hopes of earning a spot on the US relay teams. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m very hopeful to be on the relays and I&#39;m very and I hope to be on the 4x100 and the 4X400,&quot; said Felix.&nbsp;&quot;I think my biggest issue with running with the injury was running out of time, really. Now that I have another month to get back to 100 per cent I feel confident that I will be ready to go when it comes to Rio.&quot; 
 
The 30-year-old sprinter told Reuters though that she&#39;s not letting the potential threat of the Zika virus cast a shadow over the games in Brazil. 
 
&quot;I think obviously it is a real concern,&quot; said Felix. &quot;Yes it is, but I think for me I have to place my faith in the authorities that&#39;s there and if the USOC is telling us that we&#39;re ok to go and compete than that is what I&#39;m going to do.&quot; 
 
Felix is less confident though about that the ongoing doping issues surrounding track and field. 
 
&quot;I would hope that the playing field is more level,&quot; said Felix. &quot;But, I would say that my confidence isn&#39;t high to think that there are not real issues. Just the number of scandals we see now just shows the real issues that are there in sports. It is very hard to deal with as a clean athlete. You are going to the biggest race of your life and you hope that that is a clean race. But can you say that you are a 100 per cent that you are sure. I don&#39;t think that you can say that so. It is hard I think but I hope we are moving in the right direction. I think that exposing athletes that are happening now is I think is a step in the right direction.&quot; 
 
The 2016 Olympic games in Rio will open on August 6th and run through August 22. 
 
(Reuters)

Allyson Felix finished fourth at the trials, one spot short of earning the chance to defend her title

American sprinter Allyson Felix promises to be ready for Rio next month after a "disappointing" performance at the US Olympic trials that saw her fall short of qualifying to run a 200/400 double at the games. "I do feel good going into Rio, my focus has not shifted from what I had hoped to do," said Felix, who met with the media in Beverly Hills following the trials. "I think that what happened to me was just unfortunate. I think injuries are a part of sport and it is something that you just have to deal with. For me I feel so grateful to have made this team at all as two months ago I was not walking at all. So its pretty amazing to me that I'm still going to Rio and while it doesn't look exactly how I hoped it would. But I'm still going after it with everything I have." The defending Olympic champion at the 200 metre distance finished fourth at the trials, one spot short of earning the chance to defend her title. Felix cited a freak ankle injury in the spring that impacted her training. She will still be representing the US in the 400 metre run with hopes of earning a spot on the US relay teams. "I'm very hopeful to be on the relays and I'm very and I hope to be on the 4x100 and the 4X400," said Felix. "I think my biggest issue with running with the injury was running out of time, really. Now that I have another month to get back to 100 per cent I feel confident that I will be ready to go when it comes to Rio." The 30-year-old sprinter told Reuters though that she's not letting the potential threat of the Zika virus cast a shadow over the games in Brazil. "I think obviously it is a real concern," said Felix. "Yes it is, but I think for me I have to place my faith in the authorities that's there and if the USOC is telling us that we're ok to go and compete than that is what I'm going to do." Felix is less confident though about that the ongoing doping issues surrounding track and field. "I would hope that the playing field is more level," said Felix. "But, I would say that my confidence isn't high to think that there are not real issues. Just the number of scandals we see now just shows the real issues that are there in sports. It is very hard to deal with as a clean athlete. You are going to the biggest race of your life and you hope that that is a clean race. But can you say that you are a 100 per cent that you are sure. I don't think that you can say that so. It is hard I think but I hope we are moving in the right direction. I think that exposing athletes that are happening now is I think is a step in the right direction." The 2016 Olympic games in Rio will open on August 6th and run through August 22. (Reuters)

American Sprinter Felix readies for Rio

Sprint king Usain Bolt was named to the Jamaican Olympic team in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m races despite an injury that kept him from qualifying at trials, the Jamaican Olympic Association said on Monday. 
 
The six-time Olympic gold medallist was forced to withdraw from his country&#39;s trials earlier this month with a hamstring injury but was allowed on Jamaica&#39;s team headed to the Rio Summer Games after applying for a medical exemption. 
 
The inclusion of the world record holder in both the 100m and 200m on the Rio-bound Jamaican team came a day after Bolt posted a photograph from Germany of himself back in training. 
 
Unlike in the United States, where the first three finishers in the trials win Olympic berths, Jamaica&#39;s selection policy allows medical exemptions. 
 
The Jamaican roster was submitted ahead of the July 18 deadline for preliminary entries but final changes to the track and field team can be made up to August 10. 
 
Since Bolt was granted a medical exemption that allows him to be added to the team, he still needs to prove his fitness by the next Diamond League meeting in London on July 22, where he recently said he would run the 200m. 
 
The full 63-member Jamaican contingent consists of 59 track and field athletes, including two-time defending Olympic 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, two swimmers, one gymnast and one diver. 
 
Others receiving medical exemptions are Olympic 110m hurdles bronze medallist Hansle Parchment, world 200m bronze medallist Elaine Thompson, and 400m hurdler Janeive Russell. 
 
(Reuters) 
 
 
&nbsp;

Usain Bolt is named to the Jamaican team despite having dropped out of the trials because of a hamstring injury

Sprint king Usain Bolt was named to the Jamaican Olympic team in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m races despite an injury that kept him from qualifying at trials, the Jamaican Olympic Association said on Monday. The six-time Olympic gold medallist was forced to withdraw from his country's trials earlier this month with a hamstring injury but was allowed on Jamaica's team headed to the Rio Summer Games after applying for a medical exemption. The inclusion of the world record holder in both the 100m and 200m on the Rio-bound Jamaican team came a day after Bolt posted a photograph from Germany of himself back in training. Unlike in the United States, where the first three finishers in the trials win Olympic berths, Jamaica's selection policy allows medical exemptions. The Jamaican roster was submitted ahead of the July 18 deadline for preliminary entries but final changes to the track and field team can be made up to August 10. Since Bolt was granted a medical exemption that allows him to be added to the team, he still needs to prove his fitness by the next Diamond League meeting in London on July 22, where he recently said he would run the 200m. The full 63-member Jamaican contingent consists of 59 track and field athletes, including two-time defending Olympic 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, two swimmers, one gymnast and one diver. Others receiving medical exemptions are Olympic 110m hurdles bronze medallist Hansle Parchment, world 200m bronze medallist Elaine Thompson, and 400m hurdler Janeive Russell. (Reuters)

World's fastest man will run in the Olympics

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