Semenya betters own national 800m record in Diamond League
South African Caster Semenya showed she is in the best shape of her life as she bettered her personal best in the women’s 800m to 1 minute 55.33 seconds and claim another convincing victory in the Diamond League in Monaco on Friday.
Semenya, 25, in the process bettered her own national record of 1.55.45 she clocked in 2009 at the World Championships in Berlin at the age of 18. It was also the third time this season Semenya bettered the best time in the world in the two-lap event.
Hitting the bell in 56 seconds, Semenya looked comfortable up to the 600m mark before unleashing a field-shattering surge towards the finish to complete yet another dominant display.
If Semenya continues to improve at the current rate, gold in the Rio Olympics appears to be the likeliest outcome and the world record of Czech Jarmila Kratochvílová of 1.53.28 set in 1983 could also be under serious threat.
Wayde van Niekerk was also dominant in the men’s 400m as he powered to victory in 44.12 earlier in the evening.
Carina Horn was impressive in the women’s 100m as she claimed third in 11.14, behind Veronica Campbell-Brown (11.12) of Jamaica in second and Dafne Schippers of The Netherlands cruising to victory in 10.94. - ANA