'Just being able to finish the 5k is a blessing' - Caster Semenya out of world championship

KEEPING ON: Caster Semenya competes in the Women's 5000m heats on day six of the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 at Hayward Field on July 20, 2022 in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images for World Athletics)

Caster Semenya’s first appearance in the world championships since 2017 saw her knocked out without fuss or fanfare after finishing 45 seconds off qualifying for Saturday’s 5,000m final.

In temperatures that hit 32C, the South African finished 13th out of 16 runners in her heat in a time of 15min 46.12sec, almost a minute behind the winner, Gudaf Tsegay of Ethiopia.