Semenya wins final race before new testosterone rules

Double Olympic champion Caster Semenya has run her last race before the introduction of controversial new testosterone rules, claiming "it was the easiest race of my life".

The South African was running at the Diamond League meeting in Doha two days after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS)rejected her appeal to get the governing body's (IAAF) new regulations thrown out.

She must now begin taking medication to lower her testosterone levels if she wishes to compete over that distance based on the new rules, which CAS said on Wednesday were necessary to ensure fair competition.

Under the rules to take effect on May 8, female athletes with high natural levels of testosterone wishing to compete in events from 400 metres to a mile must medically limit that level to under 5 nmol/L, which is double the normal female range of below 2 nmol/L.

Testosterone increases muscle mass, strength and haemoglobin - which affects endurance.

mds (Reuters/AP)