• Athletics

Semenya ready to return

espn staff
January 13, 2010
Caster Semenya has not competed since her 800m victory in Berlin © Getty Images
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South Africa's controversial world 800 metre champion Caster Semenya is preparing to return to international competition, her coach has revealed.

Semenya has not competed since she hit the headlines last summer at the World Championships in Berlin, where she stormed to victory in the women's 800m and was subsequently embroiled in a gender row.

But Semenya, who turned 19 last week, was never banned from competition by the IAAF [International Association of Athletics Federations], while investigations are ongoing into the results of her gender test. Semenya's coach, Michael Seme, has said she had continued to train and is ready to compete again. "She's going to run in international events," he told Associated Press.

Semenya won gold in the 800m by an incredible 2.45 seconds over defending champion Janeth Jepkosgei in Berlin. However, doubts over her eligibility were raised after it was revealed that the IAAF had asked Semenya to take a gender test before the event.

The controversy surrounding her gender resulted in a major row between the South African government and the IAAF, which saw the president of the national athletics federation Leonard Chuene suspended over claims he knew nothing about the gender test. However, in November the South African sports ministry said Semenya would be able to keep her 800m gold medal.

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