Caster Semenya flaunts her form with 3 000m personal best

Caster Semenya delivered a superb performance in challenging conditions on Wednesday night, proving she has the ability to sidestep international gender rules by qualifying for this year’s World Athletics Championships.

While Semenya is suspended from racing over distances ranging from 400m to the mile (1 609m) without taking hormone suppressants, she is still cleared to compete over distances shorter than 400m and longer than the mile.

Though she missed out on qualifying for the 5 000m event at last year’s Tokyo Olympics, the former Olympic 800m champion showed at the ASA Grand Prix meeting in Cape Town that she had the legs to secure her spot in the 12-and-a-half lap race at the global championships in Eugene in July.

Despite not being a championship distance, Semenya flaunted her form in the women’s 3 000m race, brushing aside the windy conditions to win comfortably in 8:54.97 as she dipped under nine minutes for the first time.

She finished well clear of Aynslee van Graan, who took second place in 9:09.63, and while she won’t be winning any medals over 5 000m at the World Championships, her appearance at the event would be a victory in itself.

Meanwhile, middle-distance runners stole the show at the second leg of the ASA Grand Prix series at Green Point Stadium.

National 800m champion Tshepo Tshite stepped up in distance to win a hard-fought men’s 1 500m race in 3:36.09, narrowly holding off a challenge from Ryan Mphahlele, who finished second in 3:36.86.

There was also a closely contested battle in the women’s 1 500m race, with 20-year-old 800m specialist Prudence Sekgodiso holding on to secure victory in 4:20.03, edging out national champion Danielle Verster, who took the runner-up spot in 4:21.21.

Former world junior champions Soks Zazini (49.66 seconds) and Zeney van der Walt (56.01) did well to negotiate the strong wind, securing victory in the men’s and women’s 400m hurdles races.

On the infield, former World Championships finalist Victor Hogan produced a solid 60.81m heave to win the men’s discus throw.