'I was second white': Polish runner sorry for uproar over her claims she was 'white silver medallist' in Olympic 800m final won by Caster Semenya

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A Polish runner who finished fifth in the Olympic women's 800m final won by Caster Semenya has said sorry for causing uproar by claiming she was the 'second white' in the race.

Sprinter Joanna Jozwik sparked outrage when she bizarrely said she felt like the true 'silver medallist' for being the second white runner to finish.

The 25-year-old took to her Facebook page to apologise to those offended by her comments that appeared to dismiss Semenya and the two other black medal winners. She even said the fourth-placed Canadian runner should have won gold.

But she insisted she was 'entitled' to an opinion on the gender row debate, sparked by Semenya's presence in the race. 

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Defence: Sprinter Joanna Jozwik said sorry for uproar after she was slammed over 'racist' comments about the three medallists in the 800m women's final in Rio

Upset: However, the 25-year-old from Poland insisted she was 'entitled' to an opinion, and appeared to try to fend off accusations of racism by saying she has 'many friends in various countries around the world'

Competition: Jozwik (seen here behind Wambui in the 800m final) had insisted that she was the true silver medallist as she was the 'second white' to cross the line

In a shocking interview with Eurosport after the race, she said:  'The three athletes who were on the podium raise a lot of controversy. 

'I must admit that for me it is a little strange that the authorities do nothing about this. 

'These colleagues have a very high testosterone level, similar to a male's, which is why they look how they look and run like they run.' 

Jozwik, who finished the race with a personal best time, added, 'It hurts a bit. I saw [Canadian] Melissa Bishop who was very disappointed, she improved her personal best and was 4th. It's sad, and I think she should be the gold medalist.

'I'm glad I'm the first European, the second white', she concluded. 

In an unguarded interview with the television station, Jozwik said of the Kenyan Margaret Wambui who came in third: 'On my way to the stadium I was walking behind Wambui who is three times bigger than me. 

'How should I feel? She has a big calf, a big foot, she makes a step like three of my steps.'

'Racist': Jozwik made a series of controversial comments, that critics slammed as 'racist', in an unguarded interview with TV station Eurosport after the 800m final in Rio last weekend. Pictured, Semenya winning the 800m final on August 18

Gender row: Jozwik told Eurosport after last weekend's race: 'The three athletes who were on the podium raise a lot of controversy'

Olympian: While South African sprinter Semenya is known to have 'hyperandrogenism', which gives her elevated levels of testosterone, there's no evidence the other two medallists do. Nevertheless Jozwik said all three 'have a very high testosterone level'

Furious: Critics who found her observations to be racist demanded to know whether her high profile sponsors, which include Red Bull, shared her views. Pictured, an aerial shot of the last moments of the 800m final

Jozwik's comments provoked a social media onslaught – attracting, in equal measure, the ire of anti-racists and plaudits from far right commentators.

Critics who found her observations to be racist demanded to know whether her high profile sponsors, which include Red Bull, shared her views.

@BillyOHanlon called for the Olympics to include ‘’a special medal category for whiny, racist, white losers’’

@albertcombrink tweeted ‘RUNNING WHILE BLACK is not an advantage. You were beaten by FOUR other runners #racist

@kristenvanschie told followers ‘’Joanna’s coming in fast down the final stretch for the gold in bigotry. #castersemenya

Seeking to put her remarks into context in her Facebook page, which stopped short of apologising directly to the medal winners, Jozwik told her fans she felt 'entitled' to views about the controversy involving Semenya’s participation at the Olympics.

And in an apparent effort to distance herself from racist accusations, the runner laid claim to ‘many friends in various countries around the world’’. 

Outrage: Critics who found her observations to be racist demanded to know whether her high profile sponsors, which include Red Bull, shared her views

'Entitled': The 25-year-old's defence stopped short of an apology to the three Rio medallists 

She said she "greatly apologized" if anyone had interpreted her comments as racist.

"That was not my intention and I am very sorry for this reason that they were used in this way. 

"Anyone who knows me even a little bit, knows that I am open to all people and I have many friends in different countries around the world."

In recent years, 25-year-old Semenya has been forced to take medication to surpress her testosterone levels – which are naturally more than three times the level normally found in a woman.

Claim: The sprinter had insisted she was the true silver medallist, as she was the 'second white' across the line - in fifth - behind Canada's Melissa Bishop - in fourth

Pose: Jozwik said 'these colleagues have a very high testosterone level, similar to a male's, which is why they look how they look and run like they run'

Speed: From left, Poland's Joanna Jozwik, Britain's Shelayna Oskan-Clarke, Switzerland's Selina Buchel and Canada's Melissa Bishop compete in a women's 800m semifinal in Rio

However, last year a court ruled that athletics’ governing body, the IAAF should lift this regulation, and so the Rio games was the first at which Semenya competed without the drugs.

Britain's Lynsey Sharp - who competed in the same 800m race and came sixth with a personal best time - also commented on the gender row.

She told the BBC afterwards: 'I have tried to avoid the issue all year. You can see how emotional it all was. We know how each other feels. It is out of our control and how much we rely on people at the top sorting it out.

'The public can see how difficult it is with the change of rule but all we can do is give it our best.' 

In London, four years ago, Semenya won a silver medal while taking the medication – a fact that her supporters have been quick to point out to those who claim her condition gives her a significant advantage.

However, despite the court judgment, the issue is far from being resolved and the IAAF has been given two years in which to find evidence that athletes with Semenya’s condition have an unfair advantage over rivals.