Caster Semenya still smiling, despite ‘paying the price’ for a tactical error
Semenya’s bronze for the 1,500m takes SA’s medal tally to three, and she could help Wayde van Niekerk deliver SA’s best world championships showing
London — Caster Semenya says she paid the price for a mistake after taking bronze in the women’s 1,500m at the world championships in London on Monday night. Semenya was forced to fight after allowing the frontrunners to get too far ahead in the race‚ won by Olympic 1,500m champion Faith Kipyegon ahead of Jenny Simpson of the US. The South African was fifth coming down the home straight‚ but she made up ground on her rivals as she delivered the fastest final 200m of the field. Still‚ Semenya had to dip on the line to push Laura Muir of Britain into fourth place by seven-hundredths of a second, to give SA its third medal of the showpiece so far. "I knew what they were going to do‚ but I slipped back. I made a mistake. I had to pay for that‚ but I’m quite happy with the medal‚" a beaming Semenya said afterwards. "Letting them stretch [ahead] for long‚ that was the biggest mistake. I tried to keep up the pace but I realised when it’s about the last 300m that I’m far back so‚ ja‚ I had ...
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