Home » She Did It! Caster Semenya Grabs Gold for South Africa!

She Did It! Caster Semenya Grabs Gold for South Africa!

As predicted South African athlete Caster Semenya raced her way to Gold in the Women’s 800m event at the Rio Olympics Saturday evening. With her country united behind her – as she faced controversy and “Haters” (because of her higher levels of testosterone than most women) – Caster focussed on her dream… and transformed it into a […]

By SAPeople
21-08-16 03:19
in Fab South African Stuff

As predicted South African athlete Caster Semenya raced her way to Gold in the Women’s 800m event at the Rio Olympics Saturday evening.

Source: Rio Olympics
Source: Rio Olympics

With her country united behind her – as she faced controversy and “Haters” (because of her higher levels of testosterone than most women) – Caster focussed on her dream… and transformed it into a reality.

South Africans stayed up late or woke up early to watch Semenya in the two-lap race at 02:15 SA time on Sunday morning.

Although she finished in a brilliant time of 1:55:28, she didn’t break the world or Olympic records. Jarmila Kratochvílová with a time of 1:53.28 (1983) remains the World Record holder; and Nadezhda Olizarenko with a time of 1:53.43 (1980) continues to hold the Olympic Record.

Caster sign
Caster Semenya after the race.

After the race Semenya sought out each of her competitors to congratulate them.

Caster hugging

This is South Africa’s tenth medal at #Rio2016, and second Gold (the first being from Wayde van Niekerk).

SA also has six Silvers and two Bronze medals.

Earlier in the week South Africans threw their support behind Semenya on social media with hashtags #HandsOffCaster and #Caster4Gold – resulting in her tweet: “Thank you South Africa… I feel proud to be a South African ..Thanks for the Love and Support.. I’ll make you proud.”

Tonight she did just that.

Caster gold
Semenya looking pensive moments before the race…

On Twitter:

https://twitter.com/MbalulaFikile/status/767154408593522689

SA’s Minister of Sport also jumped to Semenya’s defence after Associated Press made the following comment:

Fikile Mbalula tweeted back:

https://twitter.com/MbalulaFikile/status/767159789365452801

South Africans on Twitter in the early hours of the morning, before the race #StayingAwake4Caster:

https://twitter.com/swetfortune/status/767135661052878849