Semenya going faster and faster

Van Niekerk forced to dig deep for 400m win as London approaches

CASTER S e menya shaved 1/100th of a second off her own South African record to win her 18th consecutive 800 metres race in a time of one minute 55.27 seconds at the Monaco Diamond League meeting last night.

Semenya produced an impressively tactical race, going through the first 400 metres in a time of 56.7 seconds.

It was by no means and easy victory for the Olympic gold medallist as she had company in the form of Burundi’s Francine Niyonsaba and Ajee Wilson of the Unites States.

Niyonsaba and Wilson pushed Semenya all the way to the line but the powerful South Africans managed to open a small gap over the final metres.

It was records galore in the race with Niyonsaba and Wilson both posting new national marks when finishing second and third with times of 1:55.47 and 1:55.61 respectively.

Semenya has improved on her season’s best from the Doha Diamond League meeting in May by more than a second.

While Semenya should be buoyed by her performance, the race suggests she will have to work for the title at next month’s IAAF World Championships in London.

“I showed my strength, it was a hard fight until the end. The girls surprised me how good they ran. The pace was okay for me, I wanted to go around 56 (seconds for the first lap),” said Semenya afterwards.

“I think I can run really, really fast. We are training for that. Now we still must decide, maybe tonight what I will do in London, if only 800 or also 400 or 1500m.

“Main thing is to stay healthy and then a top result will come.”

World 400m record-holder Wayde van Niekerk was made to work hard for his first place with in-form Botswana sprinter Isaac Makwala biting at his heels as they crossed the line.

Van Niekerk managed to hold onto the victory by posting a new meeting record of 43.73 seconds with Makwala following in 43.84.

It was a Southern African 1-2-3 with Botswana’s Baboleki Thebe rounding off the podium in a time of 44.26sec.

Van Niekerk nevertheless posted the fourth fastest time of his career, dipping below 45 seconds for the 20th time while posting a sub-44 time for the fifth time in his career.

The Olympic champion did not look quite as relaxed as he did earlier in the season, going through the top bend with Makwela pushing him all the way.

Van Niekerk boasts the world leading time of 43.62sec he posted in Lausanne earlier this month, while Makwala climbed into the top three.

Makwala had a few metres on the South African as they came into the final straight of the race but Van Niekerk dug deep to pip him at the line.