Gold Medalist Ordered to take Gender Test

South African, Castner Semenya, won the 800 in Berlin

Questions about Caster Semenya gender is emerging as the teenager from South Africa easily won the 800 meter gold medal at the Track and Field World Championships in Berlin.

Semenya posted an impressive time and her sudden rise to fame lead officials to force her to undergo a gender test.

Semenya could be stripped of medal

During the race Semenya took the lead at the halfway mark and opened the gap in the last 400 meters to win by an impressive 2.45 seconds over defending 800 meter champion Jeneth Jepkosgei while Jennifer Meadows of Great Britain finished third in 1:57.93. 

South African officials were asked, three weeks ago, to conduct the gender test on Semenya when she finished in 1:56.72 at the African junior championships in Maruitius.

Her win in Berlin only fueled the fire for officials to conduct the gender test on the teen due to her sudden rise from an unknown to the 800 meter champion in what many consider an overnight sensation.

The test, which takes several weeks to finalize, should determine if Semenya meets the standards as “woman” set by IAAF track & field.

South African officials went on record as saying that Semenya is a woman and that her win is legitimate.

Medals were awarded for the 800 in Berlin, but Semenya’s win remains under a cloud of speculation.

IAAF spokesman Nick Davies stated that this is a “medical issue” and not an issue of “cheating.”  Davies said that the testing has began and it is an expremely comlex process that requires a physical medical evaluation and includes reports from a gynecologist, endocrinologist, psychologist, internal medicine specialist and gender expert.

Advertisement

New World Rankings – Track & Field – Women

Sanya Richards, USA, winner of the 400 in Berlin

     Sanya Richards, USA, was one of many athletes that shook up the world rankings with her victory in the 400 meter dash in Berlin.   Following is the new world rankings for women based on their Berlin performance.

100m	Shelly-Ann Fraser (JAM)
200m	Olivia Borlee (BEL)
400m	Sanya Richards (USA)
800m	Caster Semenya (RSA)
1500m	Kelly McNeice-Reid (IRL)
5000m	Svetlana Kudelich (BLR)
10000m	Linet Chepkwemoi Masai (KEN)
110/100m Hurdles	Brigitte Foster-Hylton (JAM)
400m Hurdles	Melaine Walker (JAM)
3000m Steeple	Marta Dominquez (ESP)
High Jump	Blanka Vlasic (CRO)
Pole Vault	Anna Rogowska (PC)
Long Jump	Clélia Reuse (SUI)
Triple Jump	Yargeris Savigne (CUB)
Shot Put	Valerie Vili (NZL)
Discus Throw	Eden Francis (GBR)
Hammer Throw	Katerina Safránková (CZE)
Javelin Throw	Steffi Nerius (GER)
Race Walking	Olga Kaniskina (RUS)
Decathlon/Heptathlon	Maiju Mattila (FIN)

 

Steffi Nerius of Germany wins the Javelin event