Semenya shatters U.S. mark in 800
Embattled Caster Semenya received a warm welcome from the Stanford crowd and soon ripped off the fastest women’s 800meter race ever in the United States.
As expected, the twotime Olympic champion handily won the event in 1 minute, 55.70 seconds at the Prefontaine Classic on Sunday.
The 28yearold South African said she was happy with her time, given that it was nearly midnight back home.
“It was a little bit windy,” she said. Aside from that and her body clock, she said, “The race was good. Being able to win, being able to have the fastest time (in the U.S.) was fantastic.”
The most difficult obstacles she faces lie off the track, a result of being born with the typically male XY chromosome. The IAAF, the sport’s worldwide governing body, has been wrestling with her to one degree or another since 2009.
Her case is currently in a Swiss court. If it upholds the IAAF’s ruling that she needs to resume medication to suppress her natural testosterone, she said she might turn to an acting career. “I’m a talented actor,” she said with a smile.
The IAAF ruled she must use testosteronesuppressing medication for any race from 400 meters to a mile. She used the medication until three years ago, but it had major negative effects on her physical and psychological wellbeing, she has said. So she appealed.
If she loses the case, she said, “There are a lot of races I can do. There’s a lot of stuff I can do. I’m a talented actor. I can play football. I can play basketball. I can run 100, 200, steeple(chase).”
That said, she made it clear she expects to be in Tokyo to go for a third Olympic gold in 2020.
Semenya finished well ahead of three Americans, Ajee Wilson (1:58.36), Raevyn Rogers (1:58.65) and Hanna Green (1:58.75), who took second through fourth.
“I definitely think she should be able to do what she wants,” Wilson said. Asked if she thought Semenya was unbeatable, she said, “I think anybody’s beatable. Even if it’s one out of 50 or 60 races, you can never concede.”
On a beautiful day, a capacity crowd of 8,128 watched the world’s best track and field athletes in a meet that was moved from its home in Eugene, Ore., because Hayward Field is being rebuilt.
Semenya said she made “little mistakes” during the race, but “at the end of the day, you have to recognize your mistakes.”
She said she has a bigger problem managing her time than ignoring distractions.
“I know how to handle situations,” she said. “I know how to manage my time. I know how to focus on what I’m doing. Other people’s perceptions of me are not my problem. My problem is to win my races.”
She is concerned, though, with how young people regard her.
“A lot of boys and girls look up to me,” she said. “I don’t want to disappoint them, so I always have to behave in a good manner. It’s for the people who support me. At the end of the day I’m all human. We make mistakes.”
During meets, she said, she never thinks about her issues with the IAAF.
“When I run, I forget about everything,” she said. “It’s all about me being free. It’s all about me doing what I love. I always want to win when I step onto the track. Since I was a little girl, I always wanted to win” at anything.
She said she plans to take the next four weeks off. If the IAAF ruling is upheld, her 800 at Stanford might have been her last. The legal battle is “like a war,” she said. “You don’t give up.”