Glittering performance
Semenya shows she’s jewel in SA’s sporting crown at Diamond League meet
ACOUPLE of weeks ago, Caster Semenya left Rio de Janeiro with Olympic gold. Now, she has added a diamond to her galaxy of jewels, plus $40 000 (R584 712) in prize money after winning her 800m race in a time of 1 minute 56.45 seconds in last night’s Diamond League series meeting in Zurich.
Semenya entered the penultimate Diamond League meeting of the season on 40 points, two points ahead of second-placed Francine Niyonsaba, after four previous victories in the 800m and last night’s win now ensures she cannot be overtaken next week in Brussells.
The victory had added significance because the race was billed as “the most bitter rematch in athletics” after Semenya also went head-to-head for the first time with her resentful rivals Britain’s Lynsey Sharp and Joanna Jozwik of Poland since the pair reignited the gender row after the Rio final.
Semenya left the duo and Olympic silver medallist Niyonsaba behind as she uncharacteristically stormed to the front behind the pacemaker from the outset.
The North West University student maintained the lead after the pacemaker dropped off after the first lap. The pressure, though, intensified at the 600m when Semenya faced stiff opposition from Niyonsaba and Kenya’s Olympic bronze medallist Margaret Wambui. The duo continued to push Semenya hard down the home straight, but South Africa’s golden girl showed her strength and utilised that famous kick to close out the victory in front of a rapturous Zurich crowd.
The final result was identi- cal to the Olympic podium with Niyonsaba in second place and Wambui in third place behind Semenya. Sharp finished in last place in a disappointing time of 2.00.55 and is clearly no match for Semenya and her African compatriots.
In the absence of South Africa’s Olympic champion and 400m world record-holder Wayde van Niekerk, who is at home resting after his Rio exertions, the diamond for the one-lap race looks set to be claimed by Olympic bronze medallist LaShawn Merritt, after the American won in a time of 44.64sec last night.