Caster is ready to be ‘run off her feet’ to catch Budd’s record
Semenya qualified comfortably at the world championships, but believes her rivals will attack
Caster Semenya believes that she will have a chance to break Zola Budd’s 33-year-old record in the women’s 1,500m final at the world championships in London on Monday night. Semenya qualified comfortably for the final by finishing third in her semifinal on Saturday evening in 4min 03.80sec.‚ a little slower than her 4:02.84 in the heats. But the Olympic 800m champion believes her rivals — featuring Olympic 1,500m gold medallist Faith Kipyegon of Kenya‚ Ethiopia’s world record-holder Genzebe Dibaba‚ Dutch flyer Sifan Hassan and home favourite Laura Muir — will try to attack and run her off her feet. And that could get her inside the 4:01.81 Budd ran in Port Elizabeth in March 1984. “I think that one will come in the final because I can see what they’re trying to do‚ they’re trying to stretch us‚” said Semenya‚ who ran her 4:01.99 personal best unchallenged, while winning the African title in Durban in 2016. Semenya is SA’s next best chance to add to the two medals won by long-jumpers...
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