Caster’s attitude alone is inspiring

If it is one thing we have learned about Olympic champion Caster Semenya over the years, it’s that she has a never-say-die attitude.

Despite having to overcome numerous – often mind-boggling – obstacles, including being banned by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) from participating in 400m, 800m
and 1 500m events unless she takes medication to lower her testosterone levels, the 30 year old keeps on running. And keeps on shining.

This week, Semenya, who won the 800m gold medal at the Olympics Games in London in 2012 and Rio de Janeiro in 2016, bagged the national women’s 5 000m title for the second time with a personal best time of 15min 52.28sec on the opening day of the South African Track and Field Championships in Pretoria – three seconds clear of training partner Glenrose Xaba.

Since bursting onto the international scene as a youngster with a gold medal in the 800m at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, she has spent more than a decade fighting for her right to compete despite controversial gender rules.

That doggedness is something to be admired, whether you are a supporter or a detractor of Caster Semenya. What’s even more inspiring is her positive attitude.

Semenya, the ultimate performer, having won national titles in the 400m, 800m, 1 500m and 5 000m, said: “It’s about having fun at the moment. I’m not focusing on Tokyo yet. We’re still building up to that.”

With her ruling out running the 200m at the Olympics Games due to the distance being too explosive and strenuous at her age, Semenya’s only chance of running in Tokyo this year is the 5 000m.

As our athletics correspondent Wesley Botton notes, if Semenya can find a race at sea level before the end of June and get some help from a pacesetter, the Olympic qualifying time of 15:10.00 should be within reach.

We hope she does qualify. What a story that would be… running at the Olympics despite all life’s curve balls that have been thrown at her.