Semenya in Olympic Debut After Gender Testing

South African runner Caster Semenya ran her 1st race at the Olympics Wednesday, 3 years after gender tests. She made it through to Thursday's 800M semifinal.

Published

9 months ago

Categories

Sports, Olympic Sports

Topics

Olympic Sports

People

Caster Semenya

Places

South Africa, London, United Kingdom

Transcript

South African runner Caster Semenya ran her 1st race at the Olympics Wednesday, 3 years after gender tests. She made it through to Thursday's 800M semifinal. (Aug. 8) SHOTLIST: AP PHOTOS - NO ACCESS CANADA London - 08 August 2012 1. STILL of Caster Semenya, South African runner, sitting on the starting block before her 800 meter heat 2. Various STILLS of Semenya running AP PHOTOS - NO ACCESS CANADA FILE: London - 27 July 2012 3. STILL of the South African athletes delegation at the London 2012 opening ceremony AP PHOTOS - NO ACCESS CANADA London - 08 August 2012 4. STILL of Semenya running 5. STILL of Semenya and American Alysia Johnson Montano running 6. STILL of Morocco's Halima Hachlaf shaking hands with Johnson Montano and Semenya after their 800 meter heat SCRIPT Caster Semenya perched herself on a lane marker behind the start of the 800 meters and took some time to absorb the feeling of finally competing in the Olympics. But once underway she went straight to work, despite the three years in which she was forced to undergo gender testing, her intimate details discussed publicly, her future on the track cast in doubt. Controversy over whether she should be allowed to compete as a woman had flared after she won the world title back in 2009, posting a stunning time of 1 minute 55.45 seconds. Semenya was sidelined for 11 months while the sport's governing body debated the issue, and then after it ruled in her favor she struggled with a back problem. But she won a silver medal at the last world championships, and fellow South Africans demonstrated their support for the 21-year-old in London when she was picked to carry the country's flag at the opening ceremony. She said she needs to run under two minutes to be a contender at the 2012 Games, where she's said she feels she has to win a gold. On Wednesday Semenya relied on a late kick and finished her heat in 2 minutes zero point 71 seconds, coming in just behind American Alysia Johnson Montano, the fastest in qualifying. But she appeared to have a lot in reserve. Other athletes have said they consider Semenya to be just another competitor. (****END****) VIDEO PRODUCER/VOICER: KAREN SLOAN ------------------------------ VIDEO SOURCE: AP PHOTOS -------------------------- VIDEO APPROVAL: Jonathan Shenfield ------------------------------ VIDEO RESTRICTIONS: NO ACCESS CANADA ---------------------------------- WIRE SOURCE: AP ------------------------------------