Semenya of South Africa adds to her strings of gold medals

August 20, 4:25 PMLA Men's Health ExaminerErnest Alford

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Gold medal winner Caster Semenya

By RYAN LUCAS, AP

"Facing questions about her gender, South African teenager Caster Semenya easily won the 800-meter gold medal Wednesday at the world championships.

Her dominating run came on the same day track and field's ruling body said she was undergoing a gender test because of concerns she does not meet requirements to compete as a woman.

(AP Photo/Denis Farrell) Muriel Semenya

Semenya took the lead at the halfway mark and opened a commanding lead in the last 400 meters to win by a massive 2.45 seconds in a world-leading 1 minute, 55.45 seconds. Defending champion Janeth Jepkosgei was second and Jennifer Meadows of Britain was third in 1:57.93.

After crossing the line, Semenya dusted her shoulders with her hands. Semenya did not speak to reporters after the race or attend a news conference."

South Africa was banned from the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo due to the apartheid policies. This ban effectively lasted until 1992. During this time, some sports people (like Zola Budd and Kepler Wessels) left for other countries in order to compete internationally. Some athletes continued their sports careers in South Africa in isolation, with some starts like women's 400 metres runner Myrtle Bothma running a world record time at the South African championships.

Now it appears as if Semenya is bringing women in sports to a dominating lead in South Africa.

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Ernest Alford

Los Angeles Examiner Health Writer