Semenya up for top USSA award

South African middle-distance runner and world champion, Caster Semenya is on ballot of the United States Sports Academy’s (USSA) Athlete of the Month for June and public voting is in progress.
This comes after the Moletjie born athlete won the women’s 800 m in time of 1: 58.20 seconds and the 1,500 in at time of 4:01.99 at the African Championships in Durban in June.
She has now made the Olympic qualifying standard in three events: the 400 m, 800 m, and 1 500 m.
A media release issued by the United States Sports Academy (USSA) stated that her accomplishments have placed Semenya on the United States Sports Academy’s Athlete of the Month ballot for June with public voting in progress.
“Following the selection committee’s meeting, 12 candidates, six male and six female from five countries comprise the list. One male and one female are voted monthly winners by the public and they then become candidates for the academy’s prestigious Athlete of the Year award.  Everyone is encouraged to cast a vote on the Academy’s website at
www.ussa.edu and have friends do the same. The full ballot is listed along with bios of what each athlete accomplished during the month. Voting will continue until 15 July 2016,” the statement read.
The male nominees are USA baseball player Andrew Beckwith, his countrymen Lebron James (baseball) Dustin Johnson (golf), Jarrion Lawson (track and field), Sam Mikulak (gymnastics) and Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic.
Semenya is up against Canadian Brooke Henderson (golf), Spain’s Garbine Muguruza (tennis), and USA track and fielders Keturah Orji, Dominique Scott and Ariana Washington.
“This is the 32nd year of the Academy’s Athlete of the Year programme, part of the institution’s annual Awards of Sport programme.  Each month, the public is invited to participate by nominating and voting for the male and female Athletes of the Month on the academy’s website.
Monthly winners become eligible for the prestigious Athlete of the Year honour, which is selected at year-end by online public balloting.  Monthly and annual winners are announced on the academy’s website, social media, and in the monthly e-newsletter,” the statement informed.
United States Sports Academy is an independent, non-profit, accredited, special mission Sports University created to serve the nation and world with programs in instruction, research, and service. The role of the academy is to prepare men and women for careers in the profession of sports.

Story & Photo: Herbert Rachuene:
Moletjie born Caster Semenya stands a chance of winning a prestigious award from the United States Sports Academy.