Caster Semenya raced to an imperious world-leading
time in the women”¦s 1 500-metre event in the IAAF
Diamond League in Doha, Qatar, on 4 May 2018.
Semenya was almost contemptuous of her competition as
she raced to a personal best and new national record of
3min 59.92sec.
That beat her gold medal-winning time of 4:00.71 from
just over three weeks ago where she set a Commonwealth
Games record in Australia”¦s Gold Coast.
Semenya, who also won 800-m gold in the Gold Coast,
seemed content to wait things out as the pace was
pedestrian early on and, indeed, looked to be almost
falling over her feet in impatience.
Never pushed to take the lead, she sat off the pace
until the last lap and then started moving up down the
back straight before pulling clear of a flailing field
as she flew the South African flag high.
She beat runner-up Nelly Jepkosgei by more than a
second, the Kenyan clocking 4:00.99.
Semenya told the official Diamond League website after
her race: "I wanted to go faster, but had to slow down a
little. It”¦s always been a dream to set the NR and
continue to push beyond my PB, and I think we definitely
achieved what we came here for.
"”„I want to maintain this momentum throughout the
season, but will also make sure I continue to keep
healthy. My immediate next step is to go back and watch
the race, and see where we can improve."
But for once, Semenya”¦s actual athletics feat had to
take a back seat to a fellow athlete, as compatriot
Carina Horn was pulled to a national 100m record!
Horn broke last century”¦s national mark of Evette de
Klerk earlier this year when she ran 11.03.
But that mark was left in the dust of Doha as she raced
to the first-ever sub 11-second 100m by a South African
as she ended sixth in a time of 10.98sec.
The race was won by Horn”¦s fellow African, Côte
D”¦Ivoire”¦s Marie-Josee Ta Lou in a world-leading 10.85
from yet another African entry, Nigeria”¦s Blessing
Okagbare-Ighoteguonor in third place
”V Source:
www.sapeople.com |