It's here! Browse the 2024 Penguin Christmas gift guide
The Race To Be Myself

The Race To Be Myself

Summary

***LONGLISTED FOR THE WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK AWARD 2024***

A REVELATION IN SPORTS MEMOIRS. THIS IS THE JOURNEY OF A WOMAN FIGHTING TO RUN FREE.

"A story which makes us all interrogate our humanity and the world we build with our actions everyday." Trevor Noah

"An inspirational story of courage, of fighting the odds and of winning change not just for yourself, but for generations to come." Owen Jones


"Her defiance bleeds onto the page." Elle Magazine

"An inspirational tale; what it inspires is compassion." The Guardian


"Reading Semenya's story, it's impossible not to come to admire her." The Telegraph

"Her resilience is remarkable given what she faced, and her defiance surely saved her." i News

"Told with candour, Semenya's story reminds readers to treat all humans with dignity and that being different does not mean being wrong." Lit Hub



Olympic and World Champion, Caster Semenya finally shares the story of her extraordinary life and her battle to compete on her own terms.

Labelled 'different' and banned from the sport she loved, Olympic and World Champion Caster Semenya shares the revealing and blisteringly honest story of how the world came to know her name, and place her at the centre of a debate about gender in sports which still continues today.

Told with defiance and speed, The Race To Be Myself is a journey through innocence, ambition, obstacles and acceptance. From her rural beginnings running in the dust, to crushing her opponents on the track. To the falsehoods spread about her name, and the many trials she has been forced to endure publicly and privately. This is Caster's time to set the record straight and share her story of how she became a defiant champion.

Caster's story is our story, and testimony to anyone forced to stop doing what they love and to fight for what they believe in.

Reviews

  • Semenya is an engaging memoirist who skillfully unpacks topics of discrimination in sport…for sports lovers and avid readers alike, The Race to Be Myself is as illuminating as it is enjoyable
    Gay Times

About the author

Caster Semenya

Caster Semenya is a professional runner from South Africa. She's a two-time Olympic Games gold medalist and a three-time World Athletics Championships gold medalist. She lives in Pretoria, South Africa.
Learn More

Sign up to the Penguin Newsletter

For the latest books, recommendations, author interviews and more