It was a bit slow, bumpy and hot, but Caster still tops

JOHANNESBURG: Proving to be an unstoppable force, Caster Semenya continued her supreme reign in the women’s 800m as she raced to victory in her specialist event at the Eugene Diamond League meeting on Saturday.

Semenya staved off a strong challenge from Rio bronze medalist Margaret Wambui and held on for a victory in 1:57.78 with the Kenyan crossing in 1:57.88.

It was perhaps one of the closest races in over a year but the South African once again demonstrated her class to win a tactical race.

Semenya has not lost a twolap race since September 2015.

“Even though it was a little bit tactical, I was just trying to hang on there until the last hundred,” Semenya told the IAAF website.

“The race was a little bit bumpy; it was a bit slow and hot out there.”

The race was a near repeat of the Olympic final but Francine Niyonsaba of Burundi, who has been Semenya’s strongest challenger over the past year, finished third in a time of 1:59.10.

With the exception of a 400m defeat to Tsholofelo Thipe at a meeting in Pretoria in March 2016, Semenya has not lost a race in almost 18 months.

Although her time was not as fast as her 1:56.61 in her first international race of the season in Doha two weeks ago the top six athletes in the race all dipped below two minutes.

The Eugene race was once again a tussle between Semenya, Wambui, and Niyonsaba, with the South African making her move with 200m to go.

Wambui stayed on Semenya’s outside shoulder as they entered the final stretch. Semenya prevailed but Wambui proved that she could in future give Semenya a good run for her money over the 800m distance.

But while Wambui was working hard to stay with Semenya, the South African looked in complete control as she eased off just before the line.

Meanwhile, South African distance ace Stephen Mokoka lined up in the 10km at the Great Manchester Run amid heightened security after the arena attack that killed 22 people.

Mokoka finished third in 28.22 with Dathan Ritzenhein of the US crossing the line first in 28.06, while Kenyan-born American Bernard Lagat finished second in 28.13.

Two years ago Mokoka set a new South African 10km record of 27 minutes 38 seconds, knocking 22 seconds off the record Matthews Motshwarateu set in Purchase, New York in 1980.