Caster hangs on to beat Kenyan
STAYING POWER: SEMENYA TOO STRONG FOR WAMBUI
South African has extended unbeaten run to 21 months.
Though she admitted she had to fight hard on Saturday night, middle-distance runner Caster Semenya managed to stretch her lengthy unbeaten streak with another fine performance at the third leg of the Diamond League series in Eugene, Oregon.
The Olympic champion pounced with 200m remaining in the women’s 800m race at the Prefontaine Classic, launching her trademark kick at the start of the top bend.
Kenyan athlete Margaret Wambui reacted immediately, however, latching onto Semenya’s shoulder and keeping within touch of the powerful South African.
Catapulting herself off the bend, Wambui moved wide and attempted to draw level, chasing Semenya all the way to the line.
But Semenya was able to hold her off, maintaining her composure to stay in front as she secured victory in 1:57.78.
“Even though it was a little bit tactical, I was just trying to hang on there until the last hundred (metres),” Semenya told the IAAF website after the race.
While she was more than a second outside her own world lead of 1:56.61 set in Doha earlier this month, Semenya clocked the third fastest two-lap performance of the season, with Wambui finishing just 0.10 off the pace.
With her latest win, Semenya stretched her lead in defence of her Diamond League series title in the 800m event, after becoming the first SA athlete to win the season-long campaign in any discipline last year.
She also extended her unbeaten run to 21 months over the 800m distance, having last experienced defeat at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing.
It was nonetheless a rare battle for the national record holder, who overcame tough conditions to defeat a gutsy Wambui.
“The race was a little bit bumpy, and it was a bit slow and hot out there,” Semenya said.
The fourth of 14 legs in the Diamond League campaign will be held in Rome on June 8.