Caster Semenya finished sixth in the 5 000m at the African championships, missing the qualifying time for next month’s world champs in Eugene. Photo: Christiaan Kotze/Gallo Images
Caster Semenya wins SA Champs 5000m but falls short of Olympic mark
Caster Semenya turned the tables on her training partner Glenrose Xaba, who clocked 15:55.25 and had beaten Semenya comfortably in a regional meet two weeks ago.
Caster Semenya finished sixth in the 5 000m at the African championships, missing the qualifying time for next month’s world champs in Eugene. Photo: Christiaan Kotze/Gallo Images
Double Olympic 800 metres champion Caster Semenya inched closer to qualifying for the 2020 Tokyo Games at a new distance after defending her South African championships 5000 metre title in Pretoria Thursday.
The 30-year-old winner of the London and Rio 800m Olympic gold medals turned the tables on her training partner Glenrose Xaba, who clocked 15:55.25 and had beaten Semenya comfortably in a regional meet two weeks ago.
Caster Semenya sets PB, misses Tokyo qualifying time
Semenya slashed close to 15 seconds off her previous personal best in Pretoria, crossing the line in 15 minutes 52.28 sec — 42.28 seconds off the Tokyo 2021 qualifying time of 15:10.
Giving Semenya hope is the fact the race was staged at an altitude of 1,339 m (4,393 feet) and she is considering running the same distance at sea level, where the air is less thin and times generally faster.
“If the guys in Durban (sea-level city) do something in May, I might run,” Semenya said after her victory on 15 April 2021.
The qualifying deadline for Tokyo is June 29 2021 with the Games scheduled to take place from July 23 to August 8.
Semenya cannot defend the 800m title in Japan as she will not submit herself to World Athletics’ dangerously misguided testosterone-reducing regulations covering distances from 400m to the mile.
Mokgadi is among a minority of female athletes who have an unusually high level of testosterone, which according theories, gives them added strength.
Two legal bids to overturn her ban have failed and Semenya has taken her fight to the European Court of Human Rights, who have not indicated when the case will be heard.
“I am pretty happy with how I ran (today) — it is all about having fun. I can’t really focus on Tokyo if I’m still building up myself at the moment.”
Caster Semenya
Last year, Semenya indicated she would pursue 200 metre qualification for the 2021 Games.
But the three-time 800m world champion has changed her mind, believing distance races will lengthen her career.
“I am 30 years old and if I were to do sprints it would be a risk to my muscles. In distance (running), there is more time to find consistency,” said the three-time world 800m champion.
