RIO DE JANEIRO -- Caster Semenya has been called many things -- not all of them pleasant -- and it seems the South African runner has decided to funnel this second Olympic campaign of hers down to just her and her event. That was the distinct feeling the most controversial athlete in the Olympic Games threw off Wednesday after breezing to victory in her morning 800-meter qualifying heat, and then walking through the cattle chute media area beneath Olympic Stadium, declining all requests to talk with her mouth clamped shut and a shake of her head.Amid the endless cacophony of opinions about whether Semenya should be able to run here in Rio at all, Semenyas continued silence is even more conspicuous. She has a good chance to not only win the gold medal but break one of the oldest, most stubbornly unassailable records in track -- Jarmila Kratochvilovas 33-year-old world record of 1:53.28, which is widely believed to have been drug-enhanced, though Kratochvilova never tested positive for PEDs when she ran for Communist-run Czechoslovakia.If the 25-year-old Semenya does smash the record -- the talk that she will restarted after she ran a world-best 1:55.33 last month in Monaco -- not everyone will celebrate her.Neither she nor her coach, Jean Veter, has ever confirmed the widespread belief that Semenya has an intersex condition, meaning she was born with both male and female anatomical characteristics. Nor have they directly acknowledged she is hyperandrogenous as a result, meaning her body produces markedly higher testosterone levels than other females.She has heard complaints that she has a naturally occurring but unfair chemical advantage ever since 2009, when she burst onto the track scene as an 18-year-old who won the 800 world championship in Berlin in a remarkably fast time and The Daily Telegraph of Sydney published a story three weeks later that trails her to this day. The article noted that Semenya was flagged after the race for gender testing. And all hell broke loose after that.The IAAF, track and fields international governing body, refused to confirm the report, but Leonard Chuene, president of South Africas track and field federation, angrily resigned over the leaked information, saying, We are talking about a child here, whose name has been dragged through the dirt by [the IAAF]. If gender tests have to take place, they should have been done quietly. By going public on the tests, the IAAF has let down this young child.Semenya has been thrust ever since into the center of some wide ranging, highly invasive, often heated debates about fairness, stereotyping, the concept of gender identity as a nuanced rather than binary concept, and the shifting science about how much testosterone levels really affect athletic performance in women.Semenyas determination to keep competing has also provoked discussions about exactly whose rights are being trampled here: Semenyas? Her competitors? Could it be both?Semenya is breaking no existing rules. She has every right to run in Rio or wherever she wants.There were suspicions after the IAAF established a ceiling in 2011 for how much testosterone female competitors can legally have in their system that Semenyas times got worse between 2012 and 2014 because she began taking hormonal suppressants to meet the standard. But like everything else, shes never personally addressed that topic, either. She also hasnt addressed the gripes that the reason shes running faster again now is the Court for Arbitration in Sports ruling last year (in a case brought by Indian sprinter Dutee Chand) that testosterone levels alone were not a reliable marker of gender, and suspended the ceiling for women that the IAAF and some other federations were using. If Semenya was on suppressants, she can legally be off them now. And her times have plunged again. She is unbeaten in the 800 this year. Her seasons best is nearly a full second better than Burundis Francine Niyonsaba, her closest challenger.The IAAF now has two years to make its argument why the rule should be reinstated. But UCLA geneticist Eric Vilain, a consultant to the International Olympic Committee medical committee who is quoted in a story by Sports Illustrateds Tim Layden this week, said he does not expect the testosterone ceiling to be restored because, CAS wants IAAF to demonstrate the entirety of the difference between male and female athletic performance is androgenous testosterone.That is not going to be proven, because its not true.There are other factors. My testosterone level is higher than Jackie Joyner-Kersees, but she would defeat me in a race for many other reasons.So if scientists cant agree on whats the correct -- or least unfair -- thing to do, its no surprise Semenyas rivals cant either.American 800 runner Ajee Wilson, who finished just behind Semenya in Wednesdays heat, said she thinks the IAAFs testosterone limit is something that should be revisited. But Great Britains Lynsey Sharp, a sometime critic of Semenya, tersely said, I dont want to talk about it and Canadian medal contender Melissa Bishop said the same thing.Irelands Clara Everard said, Its a very sensitive topic. But as far as I know, shes not breaking any rules.Simoya Campbell, a 22-year-old Jamaican runner, agreed, adding: I think everything happens for a reason. And we cant break down someone like this. She [Semenya] didnt make herself. God has a plan for everyone. He knows best. Its up to us to just support her. Mentally, I know it has to affect her even though she doesnt say that much. Shes tough. Even with all the things that have been said, shes still out here running fast. I think shes so mentally tough.Semenyas dilemma is, the better she runs, the louder the consternation gets.It doesnt help that the womens 800 has a particularly fraught history even beyond that world record Semenya is chasing. Mariya Savinova, one of the rivals who complained about Semenya after losing the 2009 world title race (Just look at her, Savinova said, referring to Semenyas masculine appearance and deep voice) is not here. She is among the recently banned Russian track stars who were just found guilty of doping at the 2012 London Summer Games. Her London victory will likely be taken away-- meaning Semenya, who finished second there, would belatedly get her first Olympic gold medal.If that feels like a turnabout of fair play, Semenya has said nothing about that, either.She is now in Year 7 of this public saga. She seems to have long ago concluded the best statement she can make is to just keep showing up and running fast. Theres no percentage in engaging the rest. Semenya seems to get that controversies have their own half-lives. And the sad truth for her is, some can never be out-run.Scarpe Salomon Scontate .Y. -- Injured Buffalo Sabres forward Marcus Foligno did not practice with the team Monday and head coach Ron Rolston said its unlikely hell play in Wednesdays season opener in Detroit. Salomon Saldi . In what the team had called a retirement, Ryan said Thursday that he is resigning as chief executive of the Rangers in a move effective at the end of this month. http://www.scontatesalomon.it/ . The showiest items on Calgarys lot were forwards Mike Cammalleri and Lee Stempniak. Both will be unrestricted free agents this summer. Scarpe Salomon Outlet . "Were just throwing s--- at the wall hoping something sticks," said Tortorella about the possible line combinations for Fridays game against Columbus. The Canucks have lost five straight games and six of their last seven, leaving them in a logjam in the Pacific Division, currently sitting fifth - good for ninth in the Western Conference. Salomon Offerte .Y. -- Leading 3-0 with only 11:25 left, the Colorado Avalanche committed a seemingly meaningless penalty to give the New York Islanders a power play.INDIANAPOLIS -- Adam Vinatieri has never been a superstitious guy.Hell talk numbers and records, goals and streaks all day, even when hes on the cusp of another major milestone.If experience has taught the 43-year-old Indianapolis Colts kicker anything, its this: Work hard, savor the special moments and focus on putting the football between the goal posts.Nobody has been more successful at it recently than Vinatieri, who has made 38 consecutive field goals and nine in a row from 50 yards or more.He doesnt miss in practice either, holder Pat McAfee said Wednesday. I dont remember what year it was he told me this, but he said, `Its never a good day if I miss. Even in practice, its not a good day if he misses.Fortunately for the Colts (2-3), Vinatieri succeeds far more often than not.Hes 12th in league history with a field goal rate of 84.5 percent and has made 87.2 percent of his kicks since moving from the harsh New England winters to the cozier, warmer conditions inside Indianapolis dome and retractable roof stadiums.Of course, its not as if Vinatieri needed a climate-controlled environment to make his case as one of the leagues all-time best.He won three Super Bowls with the Patriots, two thanks to last-minute field goals. He made two crucial field goals in blizzard conditions during the infamous Tuck Rule game during New Englands first title run and he left as the franchises career scoring leader.But even after the Patriots decided to go with a younger kicker following the 2005 season, Vinatieri has continued to thrive.Hes climbed to third on the NFLs career scoring list (2,304), third in field goals (516) and is the first player in league history to score 1,000 points or make 200 field goals with two teams. If he makes five field goals Sunday at Houston (3-2), Vinatieri would break Mike Vanderjagts NFL record of 42 in a row. Gary Anderson is second on the list at 40.While Vinatieri prefers not to talk about making 43 at 43, its not out of bounds, either.The key is I feel like the first time I step onto the field its just another opportunity to put points on the board for my team, Vinatieri said after earning his 16th AFC player of the week award by making all five attempts in last weeks 29-23 victory over Chicago . Ill try to get to 39. If I do that, Ill try to get it to 40.In many cases, Colts players might not know how lucky they are.Vinatieri is the only kiicker Pro Bowl long snapper Matt Overton has worked with in five NFL seasons.dddddddddddd McAfee, a Pro Bowl punter in his eighth season, has spent seven years working exclusively with the best clutch kicker in league history.When outside linebacker Robert Mathis arrived in 2003, Vanderjagt was on the roster and with the exception of Vinatieris injury-shortened 2009 season, Vinatieri and Vanderjagt are the only kickers hes had as teammates.Others in the locker room, such as defensive tackle Art Jones, cherish the peace of mind Vinatieri gives them.While Jones was part of Baltimores 2012 Super Bowl-winning team, he still remembers losing the AFC championship game a year earlier on a missed chip-shot field goal.It makes a defensive player feel really good knowing you have a guy who is going to put points on the board, Jones said. We talk about it (the streak), but hes one of the most humble guys Ive ever met. He doesnt like talking about it.Thats primarily because Vinatieri would rather make sure hes ready for the next kick than celebrate the last one.And its a big reason that after missing his first two field-goal attempts last season, prompting speculation that age may finally be catching up to him, the 21-year veteran looks as spry as ever. Hes made 68 of his past 71 tries and with the Colts struggling to score touchdowns , Vinatieri is on pace to score a career high 163 points.I promise you, if he actually misses one, it wont be his fault. It will be my fault or Overtons fault, McAfee said. But we never worry about that. The only thing we know is that if he misses, its not a good day.Game notesFive of the 12 players who did not practice Wednesday were given an extra day off by coach Chuck Pagano. Those players were safety Mike Adams, cornerback Dontae Davis, running back Frank Gore, defensive end Kendall Langford and Mathis. ... Receivers Quan Bray (shin) and T.Y. Hilton (hip), cornerbacks Darius Butler (finger surgery) and Patrick Robinson (knee and hip), offensive lineman Jonotthan Harrison (appendectomy) and defensive tackle Zack Kerr (ankle) also sat out. Pagano said Kerr was week to week. ... Inside linebacker Josh McNary (stinger) did limited work Wednesday.---Online:AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '