Caster faster in semi than rivals, now gold beckons
LONDON: Looking to bring South Africa’s campaign to a climactic end, Caster Semenya will attempt to become a double 800m gold medallist in tomorrow’s final at the IAAF World Championships.
Semenya made light work of her semi-final, clocking the fastest time of the three races in 1min 58.90sec.
The 26-year-old looks set to add another gold to South Africa’s record medal haul at the World Championships where the team has already clinched two gold, a silver, and two bronze medals.
She will be looking for a rare 800-1500m gold-bronze double, attempting a similar attempt to that of Russia’s Svetlana Mastekova at the 1999 World Championships in Seville.
Mastekova won gold in the 1500m and bronze in the twolap race.
Semenya has hardly been pushed over the past two years, boasting a winning streak of 18 victories in as many finals.
The final promises to be anything but a walk in the park for Semenya with former youth and junior world champion Ajee Wilson of the US emerging as one of the challengers. She recently posted a new personal best of 1:55.61 at the Monaco Diamond League meeting where she finished third behind Semenya.
Semenya won her semi-final in a time of 1:59.21 with 2015 world silver medallist Melissa Bishop also qualifying for the final.
Olympic silver and bronze medallists Francine Niyonsaba of Burundi and Kenya’s Margaret Wambui also marched into the final in a slow and tactical race.
Semenya’s biggest threat will come in the form of the diminutive Niyonsaba, who boasts the second fastest time this year with the 1:55.47 she posted in Monaco.
Semenya’s former training partner Gena Lofstrand missed out on a final berth finishing last in her semi-final in 2:03.67.