‘Caster’s lovely. I’m happy to go up against her’

LAURA MUIR says she is ‘more than happy’ to test herself against Caster Semenya, whose hyperandrogenism has tied athletics in knots. A new rule change comes into effect in November, forcing intersex athlete Semenya — who has always identified as a woman — to start taking hormone-suppressing drugs if she wants to continue in her favourite 800 and 1,500 metres events. The latest IAAF ruling means she can avoid enforced medication if she steps up to the 5,000m and beyond. While Semenya has faced a barrage of hostility since bursting onto the scene in 2009, Muir — a double European champion at 1500 and 5,000m — has no problems with racing the 27-year-old. The Scot said: ‘I don’t know that there’s really a right or wrong answer. ‘All I can do as an athlete is focus on myself. Whoever is on the start line, I’ll race against. I’m more than happy to race against her. She’s a lovely person.’ The pair are likely to go headto-head on the Diamond League circuit at some stage this summer.