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PORT ELIZABETH, South Africa, April 14 (Reuters) – Former
women’s 800 metres world champion Caster Semenya has still not
secured a place in South Africa’s Olympic team despite victory
at the national championships on Saturday.
Semenya won the 800 final in a time of two minutes 02.68
seconds, well short of the Olympic A qualification mark of
1:59.90 needed to compete in the London Games later this year.
She has until June 30 to achieve the qualifying standard.
“It was okay for me today because I retained my title. That
was most important,: Semenya told reporters.
“But we have reason to be disappointed because we were
hoping to qualify. But the time will come, I just need to be
patient.
“I’m left with two races before I go to Europe. Hopefully
next week I will try to push harder to qualify. I don’t feel
pressure. I just have to do my thing,” the 21-year-old added
“I know what I’m capable of. I don’t need to stress. I know
I can do it.”
Semenya made her mark on athletics when she clinched the 800
world gold in Berlin in August 2009 before an enforced break of
almost a year following controversial gender tests.
She lost her title last year, finishing second at the world
championships in Daegu, South Korea.
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