TOKYO — As Christine Mboma of Namibia moved up from fifth place toward a silver medal in the homestretch of the women’s Olympic 200 meters on Tuesday, she began screaming in what appeared to be a mix of exertion and elation. Just 18, Mboma finished second to Elaine Thompson-Herah of Jamaica in 21.81 seconds, the fastest time ever run by a woman under 20 years old. She called her performance “the best race” of her young life. Yet Mboma was precluded from competing in Tokyo in what is perhaps her best event, the 400 meters, because of restrictions governing women with a rare genetic condition that results in naturally elevated testosterone levels. Her stirring performance in the 200 meters reignited a complicated debate — and no doubt added to some public confusion — about who should be allowed to compete in certain women’s running events.

Source: New York Times August 03, 2021 17:26 UTC