Asaba (Nigeria): A new IAAF ruling may prevent her from participating in her favourite middle-distance running events. However, South African Olympic and World Champion in the 800m Castor Semenya said Friday evening here, that she hasn’t allowed the thought to affect the mind.
The IAAF ruling which will be implemented from November onwards states that women with high level of testosterone will not be allowed to participate between 400m and one mile distances unless the level is reduced six month prior to a particular competition..
She won the 400m event at the African Championships here and said she still plans to compete in middle-distance races at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. While winning the race comfortably ahead of Botswana’s Christine Botlogetwe (51.19s) and Nigeria’s Yinka Ajayi (51.34s) Semenya created a new South African record with a time of 49.96 seconds.
Dominant again this year, Semenya has the fastest times in the world in the 800 and 1,000 metres and now holds the South African records in the 400, 800, 1,000 and 1,500 metres.
Semenya has said she will challenge the IAAF at the Court of Arbitration in Lausanne and Friday after her win said ‘Dutee’s (Chand) fight against the IAAF has inspired her. Semenya is not the only female athlete believed to have the condition but she’s easily the most high-profile.
Semenya said she still is focused on the middle-distance events. “I’ve still got a lot more goals,” she said. “I’ve mentioned before that my goal is to run until I’m 40, so hopefully there’s still three Olympics to come, but we’re going to continue to focus on the 400m, 800m and 1,500m.”
Semenya has been a problem for the IAAF ever since she arrived on the international scene as an unknown 18-year-old and won the 800-meter title at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin in a blisteringly quick time.