Semenya to focus on Commonwealth Games

Athletics | SA Track & Field

Caster Semenya © Gallo Images

Semenya to focus on Commonwealth Games

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11/07/2010, 13:05

World 800m champion Caster Semenya will miss the African Athletics Championships in Nairobi, Kenya, at the end of the month because she is not yet ready to race at international level.

Athletics South Africa said Semenya was left out of the 42-member team for the continental championships named on Sunday following consultation between the national federation and Semenya's coach, Michael Seme. The African Championships start in Nairobi on July 28.

Semenya was cleared to run by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) earlier this week after a probe into her gender prevented her from racing for 11 months.

The 19 year old, who has not raced since winning the world title in August 2009, is set to return to the track at a meeting in Finland on Thursday.

“Semenya will work towards reaching peak condition in order to be a part of the action at the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, India, in October,” ASA said in a statement.

The national federation said they would assist her in “obtaining race opportunities as part of her preparations for the international event”.

Seme said he wasn't expecting her to clock spectacular times when she returns to the track because she hasn't raced in 11 months.

“She is going to run some small meetings in Europe, but we are not expecting fast times yet,” he said.

“These meetings will just be tests to remind her body what it's like to race. We will now start preparing her for the Commonwealth Games.”