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Caster Semenya Wins in Return to Track

South African teen missed 11 months while undergoing gender testing

By M. Morris,  Newser Staff

Posted Jul 15, 2010 10:54 PM CDT

(Newser) – Caster Semenya won the 800m at a minor meet tonight in Finland, her first competition since the IAAF cleared the South African teen to compete as a woman. Looking happy and relaxed, she comfortably dealt with a larger-than-usual crowd and massive media contingent, the Guardian reports. "I felt more and more comfortable as I started to do my thing," she said after running a relatively poky 2:04.22—nearly 10 seconds slower than the time that won the world championship a year ago.

"I'm happy to get back to my normal thing," said Semenya, who missed nearly a year of competition while undergoing gender tests. "I'm not going to say I feel bitter about what happened, because I forgot about that thing a long time ago. It was just good to come back. It's a new beginning."

South Africa's Caster Semenya gets a hug from her manager, Finn Jukka Harkonen, as they celebrate her victory in the Lappeenranta Games 800m event in Lappeenranta, Finland, Thursday, July 15, 2010.
South Africa's Caster Semenya gets a hug from her manager, Finn Jukka Harkonen, as they celebrate her victory in the Lappeenranta Games 800m event in Lappeenranta, Finland, Thursday, July 15, 2010.   (AP Photo / LEHTIKUVA / Roni Rekomaa)
Caster Semenya signs autographs after winning the 800m, her first event since being cleared to return to competition after undergoing gender tests, Thursday, July 15, 2010, in Lappeenranta, Finland.
Caster Semenya signs autographs after winning the 800m, her first event since being cleared to return to competition after undergoing gender tests, Thursday, July 15, 2010, in Lappeenranta, Finland.   (AP Photo / LEHTIKUVA / Roni Rekomaa)
Caster Semenya of South Africa competes in the 800m at a meet in Lappeenranta, Finland, Thursday, July 15, 2010.  Semenya won in her first race since being cleared to return to competition.
Caster Semenya of South Africa competes in the 800m at a meet in Lappeenranta, Finland, Thursday, July 15, 2010. Semenya won in her first race since being cleared to return to competition.   (AP Photo / LEHTIKUVA / Roni Rekomaa)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 7 comments
nagisaman
Jul 16, 2010 10:13 AM CDT
Tough spot to be put in through no fault of her own, especially with the whole world watching. Congrats to her for winning again and for sticking it out in spite of everything. THAT's what champions are made of.
MarkFL
Jul 16, 2010 7:44 AM CDT
11 months? Where I come from, gender testing takes the same amount of time as dropping trow.
Count-Spatula
Jul 16, 2010 5:47 AM CDT
Congratulations, ma'am, um... sir. Um whatever.
 

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