Semenya is streets ahead at SA Champs
THREE-TIME 800m world champion Caster Semenya was in a class of her own as she raced the majority of the two-lap final on her own to post her fastest time ever on South African soil.
Semenya crossed the finish line in a time of one minute, 57.80 seconds (1:57.80) to add the 800m gold to the 1500m title she won the night before.
Former South African champion Gena Lofstrand finished behind her in second place clocking 2:05.82 with Leeanne Blake bagging bronze in 2:07.73.
“We need to almost run the same pace here as in the European season while we are also doing it for our people,” Semenya said.
“When we start running good times at home you get the corporates coming in, while it is about growing South African athletics.
Continuing with the recordworld long-jump champion Luvo Manyonga won back-toback South African titles with the best leap of 8.41m.
While the jumping king was entertaining the fans on the eastern side of the stadium it was the track athletes that stole the show.
World bronze medallist Ruswahl Samaai had to be content with silver with a best leap of 8.21m, with Zarck Visser getting the bronze with 8.07m.
“We are competing in front of a South African crown where the vibe is great and I am very happy with my performance today at my first outdoor competition of the season,” Manyonga said.
Female sprinting ace Justine Palframan bagged the 200400m double within an hour clocking two of her times in both events.
She won the 200m in a time of 22.97 before racing to victory in the 400m just 45 minutes later clocking 51.31. fastest