Journey of discovery just gets better
AS SHE readies herself for a 2018 that promises to add to her trophy cabinet‚ Caster Semenya looked back on her extraordinary career this week and allowed herself a shy smile.
It has been a journey of glory‚ accusation‚ redemption and peace.
Semenya‚ whose first big competition will be the Laureus World Sports Awards in Monaco at the end of the month‚ believes she has matured exponentially from the “young girl” who shook the world back in 2009.
“I would say that Rio (Olympics in 2016) is one of my highlights‚ and obviously the World Championships in 2009 was the first time I made it to the scene‚” said Semenya.
“But I was a young girl‚ you know. I had to grow. I had to be mature.
“I had to find a way how to make decisions and how to make right ones and how to pick the wrong ones and take them out. I think winning in 2009 and winning in Rio are the best moments of my life.”
Semenya’s season will officially begin with the South African nationals in March‚ the Commonwealth Games at the Gold Coast‚ Australia in April and the African Championships in Nigeria in August.
She will lead South Africa at the inaugural World Cup event in London in July when South Africa will be one of the eight teams invited.
She plans on running both the 800m and 1 500m at the Commonwealth Games‚ “so I can be able to win two golds”.
Her confidence is high.
But‚ first‚ there is the matter of the Laureus World Sports Awards on February 27, where she has been nominated for the Sports Woman of the Year category alongside Serena Williams‚ swimmer Katie Ledecky‚ sprinter Allyson Felix‚ alpine skier Mikaela Shiffrin and Gabine Muguruza‚ the reigning Wimbledon champion.
“Those are great sportswomen‚ great in what they do‚” said Semenya.
“I feel blessed‚ privileged to be amongst a list of great women like that.
“You know‚ as an athlete‚ obviously‚ we have goals‚ we have dreams‚ but this is one of the dreams that I dreamed from when I was young‚ watching the world’s top sportsmen and sportswomen being nominated‚ and then say one day‚ if I can be there‚ I will be fulfilled.” Semenya was nominated for her dominance at the World Championships in London last year‚ when she won gold in the 800m and bronze in the 1 500m.
Semenya is looking to the future‚ to the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo‚ where she aims to defend her 800m title and win it for the third and‚ perhaps‚ final time.
“I’m an athlete who works more in the short-term goals.
“I’ll be 29‚ so it will be probably my last Olympics‚ 800 metres – I don’t know.
“But yes‚ if I can still go faster‚ you never know where you can end up.” —