Caster adds gold to SA’s medal haul
Clinches gold in new SA record
Caster Semenya cruised to an historic victory in London last night as she took the 800m gold for her second medal of the world championships.
Her closest rivals Francine Niyonsaba of Burundi and American Ajee’ Wilson unleashed an early blitz, but the famous Semenya kick over the final 200m was still too much for them.
The 26-year-old clocked a 1:55.16sec South African record, also the fastest time in the world this year.
Asked where she found the extra gear, Semenya told the appreciative fans at trackside: “The crowd, this is unbelievable, I love you guys.
“This is my third home, we all know my second home is Berlin … these people are fantastic, this is the place to be.”
It’s the second time in a month that Semenya has improved her national mark, again being pushed by Niyonsaba and Wilson.
Niyonsaba was second in 1:55.92 and Wilson third in 1:56.65, nearly a second ahead of fourth-placed Margaret Wambui of Kenya (1:57.54).
Semenya, now unbeaten in the 800m in 29 races since late 2015, is SA’s most decorated world championship athlete, having landed four gongs in her career to date.
She took 800m gold in 2009, silver in 2011 (although that has been upgraded to gold) and the 1 500m bronze here a week ago.
Wayde van Niekerk is next best with three medals.
Semenya is now only the second three-time world champion in this event, after Maria Mutola of Mozambique, her previous coach before she linked up with Jean Verster in Potchefstroom, in the North West in 2015.
Her victory was the SA team’s sixth medal of the showpiece, with three gold, one silver and two bronze lifting them to third on the medals table before the final events were completed.