New Delhi: South Africa’s two-times Olympic gold medallist Caster Semenya has been included in the 5000 m event World Athletics Championships in Oregon. She was allowed to compete at the event as a number of higher-ranked runners pulled out.
Semenya achieved her personal best of 15:31.50 in the event earlier this year, but the timing for qualification was 15:10.00. She was not part of South Africa’s contingent to the World Championship, but as some players backed out, she got a chance to play the event. There were several withdrawals from other athletes around the world which opened the opportunity and World Athletics made it possible that she be entered,” a spokesperson for Athletics South Africa told Reuters in an email.
Caster Semenya is a two-time Olympics gold medallist in the 800 m category, but she started running 5000 m because she was barred from the middle distance races due to her high testosterone level. Governing body World Athletics ruled in 2018 that women with high natural testosterone levels must take medication to reduce them to compete in middle-distance races. This decision according to them was taken to ensure fair competition in events.
Semenya, being barred from 400 m to 1600 m events, refused to undergo the medication. Because of this situation, she was also unable to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics. From winning gold medals at the highest-ranked events in the 800 m category, to not qualifying for them in the 5000 m, has been a struggle for her. The upcoming World Championships will be her first event at the top level since 2017.
The World Athletics Championships will start on July 15 in Eugene, Oregon.
