Semenya receives medal for 800 win

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(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-08-21 10:37

BERLIN: With controversy swirling over her gender, South African teenager Caster Semenya bowed her head to received the gold medal for her 800-meter world title on Thursday as officials and family came to her defense.

Janeth Jepkosgei Busienei of Kenya , Caster Semenya of South Africa and Jennifer Meadows of Britain (L-R) display their medals during the awards ceremony for the women's 800 metres at the world athletics championships at the Olympic stadium in Berlin August 20, 2009. Semenya won the gold, ahead of Jepkosgei Busienei who won silver and Meadows who won bronze. [Agencies]

The 18-year-old Semenya dominated her rivals to win the 800 by a commanding margin on Wednesday despite revelations that surfaced earlier in the day that she was undergoing a gender verification test because of concerns she does not meet the requirements to compete as a woman.

When asked by a reporter while walking into the medal ceremony how she was feeling, Semenya smiled and said, "Good, man."

Semenya waved to the crowd as she mounted the podium at the Olympic Stadium to receive her gold medal. Dressed in a yellow and green track suit, she then stood with her hands behind her back and mouthed the words to the South African national anthem as the country's flag was raised.

Afterward, she flashed a big smile as she posed for photographers with her medal.

"She said to me she doesn't see what the big deal is all about," South Africa team manager Phiwe Mlangeni-Tsholetsane said. "She believes it is God given talent and she will exercise it."

About three weeks ago, the IAAF asked the South African athletics federation to conduct the gender test after Semenya burst onto the scene by posting a world leading time of 1 minute, 56.72 seconds at the African junior championships in Bambous, Mauritius.

The teenager's stunning improvement in times, along with her muscular build and deep voice, sparked speculation about her gender. On Wednesday the day of her first world championship final revelations surfaced she was undergoing the test.

South African athletics federation president Leonard Chuene staunchly defended the teenager Thursday, and insisted Semenya is facing intense scrutiny because she is African.

"It would not be like that if it were some young girl from Europe," Chuene told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. "If it was a white child, she would be sitting somewhere with a psychologist, but this is an African child."

Chuene also said there was no evidence to prove Semenya was doing anything wrong.

"If there was evidence, she would have been stopped," Chuene said. "Where I come from, you're innocent until proven guilty.

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