Cape Town - Caster Semenya was such a firm favourite for the 1 500m title at the African Championships that it was going to be difficult for her to pull off something special.
It was not her favoured 800m event, the strong Durban wind was pumping once more and she is gearing up for the ultimate – gold at the Rio Olympics.
But the 2009 world champion loves running in front of her fanatical home fans, and it was no different at the revamped Kings Park Athletics Stadium on Friday evening.
The 25-year-old Semenya produced one of her finest performances of her career to smash her previous personal best of 4:08.01, which she had run in as far back as 2009, by over six seconds as she romped home in a brilliant time of 4:01.99, the second-fastest ever by a local athlete.
It was just outside Zola Budd’s South African record of 4:01.81, set in Port Elizabeth in 1984. With the world record at 3:50.07 by Ethiopian Genzebe Dibaba set last year, it is not out of the realms of Semenya’s ability to crack that mark once she, hopefully, conquers the 800m at the Rio Olympics.
Semenya has now qualified in the 400m, 800m and 1 500m for Brazil, but she is concentrating on the 800m for the moment. But don’t be surprised if turns up in the 1 500m, as she has said that the 400m is out of bounds as it takes place before the 800m heats.
Apart from Semenya, the two 4x100m relay teams saved the day somewhat for Team South Africa right at the end of Friday’s action, following upset defeats in the men’s 400m hurdles and women’s long jump.
LJ van Zyl was the clear favourite in the hurdles, but finished out of the medals in fourth with a time of 49.46, with Kenyan Boniface Mucheru claiming gold in 49.20. Cornel Fredericks wasn’t much better and missed out on an Olympic qualifying time once more in sixth position (49.82).
SA champion Lynique Prinsloo had a strong chance of winning the long jump competition, but she couldn’t emulate her male counterpart Ruswahl Samaai from the day before as she slumped to fifth with 6.20m, behind teammate Samantha Pretorius (6.33m) in fourth. Nigerian Ese Brume was victorious with a leap of 6.57m.
The men’s 4x100m relay squad have not yet qualified for the Olympics, but were boosted by Wayde van Niekerk as they won the African title in 38.84. Van Niekerk was supported by SA record holder Akani Simbine, teenager Gift Leotlela and Emile Erasmus in the absence of the injured Henricho Bruintjies and Anaso Jobodwana.
Their female counterparts also stormed to gold in 43.66, with national 100m champion Alyssa Conley, record holder Carina Horn, junior star Tamzin Thomas and Tebogo Mamatu making up the team.
There were also silver and bronze medals in the men’s 800m as Jacob Rozani qualified for the Rio Olympics with an outstanding new personal best of 1:45.38 to finish second, with Botswana favourite Nijel Amos flying to gold in 1:45.11.
Rynhard van Rensburg clinched third spot in 1:46.15.
There was also an unexpected silver medal in the men’s high jump as Keagan Fourie got up to 2.18m, just behind champion Mathew Sawe of Kenya (2.21m).
@IndyCapeSport