Athletics
Semenya bags third gold
2011-04-30 16:29
Email | Print
Stellenbosch - World 800m champion Caster Semenya secured her third gold medal with a convincing victory in her specialist event on day two of the SA Student Athletics Championships in Stellenbosch on Saturday.
Semenya, who won the 400m and 1 500m titles on Friday, dragged the field through the first lap in the women's 800m final with Juanee Cilliers and Mandi Brandt fighting to stay in touch.
The 20-year-old pulled clear, however, to win by more than two seconds in 2:02.52.
Brandt secured the silver medal in 2:04.65 and Cilliers held on for the bronze in 2:06.38.
Semenya was set to compete in the women's 4x400m relay later in the afternoon in a bid for her fourth gold medal of the championships.
The global two-lap title holder went undefeated over 400m and 800m in her first domestic season in two years, and said she would now take a month-long break from racing.
She will return to the track at an IAAF World Challenge meeting in Dakar, Senegal on May 28 when she starts her build-up to the defence of her title at the World Championships in Daegu, South Korea in August.