Women’s world 800m champion Caster Semenya has been left out of the South Africa team for this month’s African championships despite being cleared to race again after completing gender tests.
Athletics South Africa (ASA) consulted with Semenya’s coach and decided that the 19-year-old, out of action for 11 months, was not fit enough for inclusion in the team for championships starting in Nairobi, Kenya on July 28.
The ASA said in a statement on Monday that Semenya would come into consideration for the Commonwealth Games being held in New Delhi in October.
“Semenya will work towards reaching peak condition in order to be a part of the action at the Commonwealth Games,” ASA said.
Semenya has not run competitively since clinching gold at the world championship in Berlin last August but is due to make her track return at the Lappeenranta Games in Finland on Thursday. – Reuters