Caster Semenya on Wednesday did nothing more than what she had to – both on the track and off it – when she began her quest for gold at the Olympics in London.
The 2009 World Champion did just enough to qualify comfortably for the next round in the women’s 800m and her rivals watching will have learned little about her state of mind or her form going into tonight’s semi-finals.
And off the track, Semenya gave even less away when talking to the media after her run.
After the event, the media-shy 21-year-old had little to say about her run.
“The race went okay and (Alysia) Montano went fast from the first lap, but other than that it was a tactical race and I wanted the race to be a fast one.
“It is very important to get this out the way. To win, I know that I will probably have to go sub two minutes ... that is what happens (in the 800m) and so that is what I am looking at doing.”
Semenya will go out on the track for her semi-finals about 90 minutes before Sunette Viljoen will be going for gold in the women’s javelin throw pn Thursday night.
Viljoen, who has thrown the best distance in 2012 in her event, is without doubt one of the pre-event favourites and her 66,92m throw in the qualifying did little to dispel that.
She was third best qualifier behind the current world record holder, Barbara Spotakova, from the Czech Republic, and German Christina Obergfoll, but the 30cm difference between first and third could have been the result of a puff of wind so little can be read into that other than the fact that the leading three qualifiers are likely to fill the podium.
The men’s 4x400m squad will also be hoping to begin their charge toward gold. With Cornel Fredericks picking up an injury in the 400m hurdles and LJ van Zyl struggling in the same event, it seems likely the squad will be Willem de Beer, Shaun de Jager, Ofentse Mogawane and Oscar Pistorius.
On paper it would seem the South African quartet will struggle, but as Pistorius said earlier in the week, they are one of those teams who run for each other and perform better as a team than as four individuals, and so a repeat of the 2011 world championship silver medal could be possible.
On Wednesday, Semenya’s first round heat was a strange mix of tactics and front running with American Alysia Montano bounding off from the gun and building a massive lead while Semenya and the rest ran a tactical race for the remaining two automatic qualification spots.
Semenya led the chasers the whole way and looked for a while like she may pay for her “front” running and be in a bit of trouble when Mauritian Halima Hachlaf started the kick as they came onto the final straight.
The South African proved she had plenty left in reserve and slowly built up her sprint to make sure of a top-two finish and was even able to throttle back as she closed up on the early leader to comfortably claim her place in tonight’s semi-finals.
Wednesday’s run provided little information, but what is certain is that the semi-finals tonight are sure to deliver a lot more intense racing and the powerful South African athlete is going to have to push herself a lot more to secure her spot in the final. – The Star