Caster Semenya looks on after competing in the Women's 800m Round 1 during the athletics event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on August 17, 2016.
Image by: OLIVIER MORIN / AFP
Image by: OLIVIER MORIN / AFP
Despite attracting all kinds of speculation as to her validity as a female contestant at yet another international sporting meeting, Caster Semenya is ready to compete in the women's 800-metre semi-final at the Rio Olympics.
Given her elevated testosterone levels, Semenya has long been at the centre of a debate around the line between a natural gift and an unfair advantage.
However, after cruising, in the truest sense of the word, to victory in her 800 metre heat on Wednesday, Semenya is set to contest the semi-final on Friday morning (SA time) and insists that winning a medal is all she is focused on in Brazil.
Given her position in world sport, Semenya engages very little with press and media.
After her heat on Wednesday though, she said: "I am focused on enjoying my championship and it’s going to be a tough 800.
"Medals matter. I just want to run my own race and so far it’s been very good."
Semenya's Twitter account is littered with references to her critics and the 2012 Olympic silver medalist appears to be using them as motivation in Rio.
One such post reads: "Dear Haters, I have so much more for you to be mad at. Just be patient."
If the ease in which she cantered to a time of 1:59.31 in her qualifying heat is anything to go by, then South Africans could be in for a treat in the coming days.
Semenya will feature in the third semi-final.
Her biggest threats will be Belarus' Maryna Arzamasava and Benin's Noélie Yarigo who clocked speedy times of 1:58.44 and 1:59.12 in the heats respectively.
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