Caster set for February return

Middle distance runner Caster Semenya will not run in the Yellow Pages Summer Series this month, but will return at the start of the regular domestic track and field season in February, her coach said on Friday.

Coach Michael Seme said the back injury which kept Semenya out of the Commonwealth Games in October had not yet healed.

“She is not ready yet. She hasn't recovered properly,” Seme said on Friday.

“She was supposed to run a time trial this week to test her fitness, but she was not even able to start. She was not feeling well.”

Seme had hoped the world 800 metres champion would return to action in Cape Town, at the last leg of the Yellow Pages Summer Series on December 18.

Instead, she would return in February when she hopes to qualify for next year's World Athletics Championships in Daegu, South Korea, he said.

“She will run in all six Yellow Pages meetings next year including the national championships.

“We want her to qualify for the world champs at one of the early meetings, because at SA champs the last meeting of the season they have to run qualifying heats and it's not always possible to run fast.

“It's not easy for her to run hard on her own, but if someone can help with the pace, she will qualify. It's easy for her.”

The 19-year-old has not competed since she clocked the fifth fastest 800m time of the year (1:58.16) to win a meeting in Milan in September.

This capped an impressive comeback after an 11-month hiatus because of a gender probe. – Sapa