Mission accomplished for Semenya as she enjoys some Gold Coast adulation
Controversy, impending the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) regulations and earlier moans from competitors meant nothing on Friday night as track star Caster Semenya won a historic Commonwealth double on the Gold Coast.
A commanding win in the women's 800-metre final saw the South African double up on her earlier 1,500m victory to clinch the 800-1500 double she just missed out on at last year's world championships.
Both golds in Carrara came in Commonwealth Games record time.
But where the 1,500m win came amid talk of indifference from other athletes which has long surrounded her due to her hyperandrogenism (meaning she has an excess of male sex hormones in her body, including testosterone) the 800m victory came in seemingly friendlier conditions.
The Gold Coast crowd, keen to see the star in action, welcomed her warmly, and Semenya lapped up a long victory lap around the track — the South African flag draped around her — after securing her win in 1:56.68.
Amid the focus on good sportsmanship at the Commonwealth Games, it was a relief to see competitors quick to offer handshakes and congratulations too.
The prospect of the IAAF bringing in regulations in that would limit testosterone levels in female athletes by November 2018 still looms large, but that did not appear to phase Semenya, who was still talking afterwards about potential world records and the season ahead.
So Semenya's time on the Gold Coast concludes as a mission accomplished, with the South African saying her Commonwealth Games campaign was all about enjoying the moment.
"Today was all about being in command, running your own race," Semenya said.
"Sometimes you need to enjoy yourself, run your own pace, see if you can maintain it throughout, all race.
"[At the South African championships] it was all about learning every day, it's all about improvements.
"Now it's all about having fun, to meet people here, to … socialise. For us, it is just the beginning, from our side."
'Cheeky' competitors had wrong strategy against me: Semenya
Semenya, who led from start to finish and came in at the bell at 58.66 seconds, said her run in the final was all about being in control, which was obvious to anyone watching.
The South African's racing style often involves hanging back until the final turn before burning up her plentiful reserves to glide past competitors.
In Carrara, however, it was a lead-from-the-get-go approach which caught her competitors flat footed.
"I think it was little bit cheeky, they thought I would hang around the back," Semenya said.
"It was a big surprise when I took the lead [so early]. They realised then it was too late, that I'm running one pace for a long time, because I can run that pace for a long time.
"Because I could feel at the bell, 'ok, that's 58 [seconds], I can push for 58 again, I don't necessarily have to sprint."
Semenya remains on the hunt for world records, which would mean she would have to shave another two seconds off her personal best.
"World record, we can't discuss that, it's still early, it's still April," she said.
"We're quite pleased with the performance tonight and obviously in the 1,500m. We still have a long way to go.
"But if we talk about world records, probably maybe it will be three months, four months."
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