Semenya left out of South Africa team

WORLD 800 metres champion Caster Semenya has been left out of a preliminary South Africa squad to compete at the African Athletics Championships in Kenya later this year.

The 19-year-old, who underwent tests to determine her gender, has not raced since winning gold at last summer’s World Championships in Berlin.

However, she confirmed her return to competitive action last week, earmarking a meeting on June 24 in Zaragoza as the day she will race again. Semenya may yet be denied the opportunity to run in Spain depending on the results of her tests, which were first expected in November, before the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) announced last month that the case had still not been concluded.

If all goes to plan, though, her return will come a month prior to the biannual continental showpiece, due to be held in Nairobi.

But a 57-member list announced earlier today by Athletics South Africa (ASA) did not include her name. Richard Stander, ASA assistant administrator, however, insists that the list is not final and Semenya and others excluded would still have a chance to be drafted in.

“The list is not final,” he said. “The criteria is very clear, the athletes that have performed in the last couple of months, the selectors have put them onto the squad.

“But they have said ‘look guys, prepare for the African Championships, we have a window period up front, so go and qualify’ and that’s when the final selection will take place.”