Semenya looks to extend her two-lap domination
JOHANNESBURG: Caster Semenya will be looking to win her second consecutive Diamond Trophy when she lines up in Zurich this evening.
Although she has qualified to race in both the 800 and 1500m finals, she has opted out of the three-and-three-quarter lap race which takes place the next day in Brussels.
Semenya has not lost a two-lap race since September 2015 when she finished eighth in Berlin.
The seven fastest women in the 800m will be lining up against each other tonight when they will be chasing Semenya’s shadow.
It is one of the best 800m fields that could be assembled with all nine athletes boasting personal best times faster than one minute, 58 seconds.
The field also includes three athletes who have run faster than 1:56 in their careers.
Semenya has been an absolute dominant force in the two-lap race over the last three seasons.
She will be going into the race as at the overwhelming favourite after clocking 1:54.25 at the Paris Diamond League meeting in July, which is the fourth fastest of all time.
She became the first woman in history to dip below 50 seconds, two minutes, and four minutes in the 400m 800m, and 1500m respectively when she won the onelap sprint at the African Championships in a new South African record of 49.96 seconds.
The time still needs to be ratified and it appears the IAAF is not recognising some of the times from the championships in Nigeria, with her recent time of 50.06sec given as her PB in the 400m.
Speaking at the pre-meeting press conference yesterday, Semenya said she was still undecided about whether she would double in the 400/800 or the 800/1500m at the next major championships.
“At the moment I am more focused on speed and if I would have to make a wise decision I would do the 400 and the 800,” Semenya said.
“I love both 400/800 and 800/1500m and all I can say is I am still a confused kid trying to figure out where I belong.
“I’ve done all three events at the same championships before and you never know, I might go crazy and do all three events in future.”
Although Semenya has also qualified for the 1500m in Brussels tomorrow, she has opted to only race her specialist 800m event in Zurich.
Long-jump phenomenon Luvo Manyonga will be looking to win his second consecutive Diamond Trophy and he will tussle with compatriot Ruswahl Samaai for sandpit supremacy.
Manyonga sits pretty at the top of the Diamond League rankings with Olympic gold medallist Jeff Henderson of the US second and Samaai third.
Cuban sensation Juan Miguel Echevarria, who is considered to be Manyonga’s biggest threat with a world lead of 8.68m, will not be participating in the final.
National 100m record holder Akani Simbine will be the only South African competing for an overall title in Brussels tomorrow.
The African champion will be lining up against some of the fastest men this year, including American Ronnie Baker, who clocked a world lead of 9.87sec last weekend. Seven of the eight finalists have dipped below 10 seconds this season.