Athletics
SA hopes rest on Semenya
2011-09-03 14:25
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Caster Semenya (AP Photo)
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Daegu - South Africa will be confident of adding to their medal tally on the final day of the World Athletics Championships in Daegu, South Korea, when Caster Semenya lines up in defence her women’s 800m crown on Sunday.
With no competitors on the penultimate day, South Africa slipped down the table after bagging three medals earlier in the week, and their last hopes will rest with Semenya, along with three inexperienced marathon runners and an underdog relay team. Despite finding form in the qualifying rounds, the women’s two-lap title holder, fastest of the semi-finalists in a season‘s best 1:58.07, is only fourth quickest in the field this year.
Holding the most impressive career best of the finalists, however, after clocking 1:55.45 in Berlin two years ago, Semenya will be eager to come full circle by repeating that performance and finally putting to bed the gender controversy that followed.
The wide open field includes 2007 world champion Janeth Jepkosgei of Kenya and world indoor champion Mariya Savinova of Russia.
The men’s 4X100m relay team will hope to reach Sunday afternoon’s final, but they are expected to struggle in a tough heat in the morning session.
The SA quartet compete in the second of three heats, against the likes of Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, with only the first two teams progressing, along with the two fastest losers.
Three South Africans -- Lucky Mohale, David Ngakane and Coolboy Ngamole -- will toe the line in the men’s marathon in the morning session.
None of the trio, however, have broken two hours and 13 minutes (2:13), and they are unlikely to feature on the podium against a field that includes 10 men who have dipped under 2:07.