Slimmer and with a new hairdo, Caster Semenya guns for comeback
Caster Semenya showed a glimpse of her old self as she outsprinted her rivals to win the 1500m in her new home town of Potchefstroom last night.
Slimmer and looking uncharacteristically relaxed, Semenya hung near the front from the start and then kicked in the final straight to take an easy victory in 4min 30.12sec in the first Varsity Cup meet of the season.
The performance of the night was produced by Akani Simbine of Tuks, who claimed the men’s 100m in a season’s best 10.09sec.
But Semenya’s effort suggested she is on the right track as she bids to return to her world-conquering form.
Semenya, the 2009 800m world champion and 2012 Olympic silver medallist, had been off the boil for the past two seasons, failing to qualify for the 2013 world championships and the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
But armed with a new attitude and a plaited mohawk hairstyle, the 24-year-old sports science student at Pukke is planning baby steps to get back.
“My first big race this year will be the 800m at the SA championships (in Stellenbosch next month). I want to get close to two minutes - a 2:01 or 2:021,” said Semenya, who clocked her 1:55.46 personal best in 2009.
“It’s not about times [now]. It’s all about getting back to my best.
“It is going well so far. I’ve lost 5kg in three months. I’m down to 70kg. I’m injury free [she was struggling with her knee]. I’ve switched coaches twice in three years so I’m adapting to a new programme.”
Semenya left Maria Mutola and Pretoria to join middle-distance mentor Jean Verster, who also coaches Botswana star Nijel Amos and SA men’s star Andre Olivier.
“This is paradise for me. Training, studying and eating.”
But she's refusing to look too far ahead. Asked if the world championships in Beijing in August was on the cards, she replied: "That would be lovely. But it's about getting faster and stronger first".
Simbine, who has a 10.02 personal best, took another step towards his goal of breaking 10 seconds when he won the 100m.
He was happy with his 10.09 effort, raising his fist as he crossed the line far ahead of his nearest rival.
“It’s a legal season’s best,” explained Simbine, who went 10.06 and 10.04 in Pretoria over the past weekends, but in both cases the wind at his back was too strong.
“It shows progress,” added the Tuks student, who has already achieved the 100m and 200m qualifying times for the world championships.
The cool conditions, courtesy of some rain shortly before the start, didn’t help his cause. “I love it when it’s warm, but at least the track held,” said Simbine, who later anchored Tuks to victory in the 4x100m relay.
He was the man who produced a storming finish for SA in the relay at the Commonwealth Game last year to secure fourth spot, running the second-fastest final leg behind Usain Bolt.
In other races last night, Justine Palframan (Maties) won the 200m in 23.73 and Rynhardt van Rensburg (Kovsies) the men’s 800m in 1:49.83.
Tuks' domination in the relays ensured they finished the night top of the points table, ahead of hosts Pukke.