Semenya will keep gold medal

Caster Semenya, who won the 800m gold medal at the IAAF World Championships in August, will keep her gold medal and prize money. A controversy erupted after she won when her gender was questioned due to her physique. However, the IAAF has now concluded that she was blameless and innocent in the whole event.

The results of her gender tests will be kept confidential and not be made public, since it's a private matter between doctor and patient.

Chuene, former head of Athletics South Africa (ASA) has since been suspended due to his awful handling of the case, considering he knew gender tests were done but still proceeded to send Semenya to compete at the event while ignoring the possible implications it would have if she did.

Throughout this whole debacle, Semenya has been treated like dirt and it just showed once again how relentless the media (and public) can be. There is no respect for a person's privacy anymore. I'm just glad it's over although I'd imagine that Semenya will carry the scars for quite some time. As for the outcome of the gender tests, if you don't see Semenya competing at an international event in the future, you'll know the answer.

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Semenya wins gold in 800m! Read more on "Semenya will keep gold medal"!

Bolt breaks 200m world record again: 19.19 seconds!

Usain Bolt broke his own 200m world record by the same margin he sliced off his 100m mark on Sunday, to secure his place as the greatest sprinter the world has ever seen. Last year he broke the world record at the Beijing Olympics in 19.30 seconds. Last night he did it in 19.19 seconds! He said afterwards that it was 'not a good race' since he had to really go all out (obviously!?). He turns 23 today, should be a big party!

Video: IAAF Berlin 2009 - World Championships 200m Final



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Usain Bolt does it again, this time in 9.58 seconds! Read more on "Bolt breaks 200m world record again: 19.19 seconds!"!

Semenya wins gold in 800m!

South African teenage sensation, Caster Semenya, won the 2009 IAAF World Championships 800m race in spectacular fashion in 1 minute 55.45 seconds, comfortably beating former champion Janeth Jepkosgei from Kenya by 2.45 seconds.

Britain's Jennifer Meadows took bronze. Semenya's time is this year's fastest and the fifth-fastest of all time.




Video - Caster Semenya wins 800m gold in Berlin



Controversy

Only 18 years old, Semenya has stunned the athletics world with her rapid success this season but unfortunately she has also been shrouded in controversy. IAAF officials ordered South Africa's athletics association (ASA) to do a gender verification test but it's a very complex procedure and the outcome will only be known in a few weeks. The IAAF has decided that the athlete will be allowed to compete pending the results of such a test.

Complex

The reason why the gender test is complex is because it's not simply a matter of determining whether a person has male or female sexual organs. That does not constitute male or female. You can have male characteristics without having male organs, and vice versa. Proper gender testing will be done by a group of medical scientists like gynecologists, psychologists, geneticists and endocrinologists. Hence the long waiting period for the test results.

I found the comments by a few of the british commentators after the race and some australian news articles to be extremely insensitive about the matter, since the athlete is not a cheat nor has anyone even suggested that she was. The IAAF has at least confirmed that they themselves are sensitive to gender issues. She's very young and if this matter is not handled correctly, it could scar her for life.

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Caster Semenya wins 800m Gold - The Times
The centre of controversy - iafrica.com Read more on "Semenya wins gold in 800m!"!

Usain Bolt does it again, this time in 9.58 seconds!

The Jamaican sprinter, Usain Bolt, did it again. He broke his own 100 meter sprint record by winning the IAAF World Championships in Berlin on Sunday in an astonishing 9.58 seconds! American Tyson Gay claimed silver in 9.71s with former world record holder Asafa Powell of Jamaica clocking 9.84s for bronze.

Video: IAAF Berlin 2009 - World Championships 100m Final



Usain Bolt history

Last year he broke the 100m world record at the 2008 Beijing Olympics (9.69 seconds) but he visibly slowed down before he reached the finish line so everyone knew he had the ability to eventually win the event in a faster time. Well, it took him exactly one year to do it! He truly is an incredible athlete.

Usain Bolt currently holds the world records for the 100 metres at 9.58 seconds, the 200 metres at 19.30 seconds and the 4x100 metres relay at 37.10 seconds.

I've always loved big sport events and I've have always had a particular interest in the sprints from an early age. I also participated at school level and it was my favourite track event. Who can forget Carl Lewis completely dominating the track in the early 80's, or Ben Johnson who disgraced the sport when he was disqualified for taking a banned substance after breaking the 100m world record at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul (9.79s). His previous record of 9.83s at the 1987 World Championships in Rome was also nullified after he admitted using banned substances then as well. It's therefore refreshing to see an athlete like Usain Bolt running these incredible times, drug free!

Can Bolt run the event in under 9.50 seconds? I think so. He's very tall and still seems to be the last one out of the blocks at the start and if he can improve that, I'm sure we'll see another world record in the not too distant future.

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Photo gallery of the race - Sport24 Read more on "Usain Bolt does it again, this time in 9.58 seconds!"!

Fairytale win for SA's fastest

Who is Simon Magakwe? Nobody has ever heard of him but this past weekend he was crowned South Africa's fastest man at the SA Senior Track and Field Championships in Stellenbosch. He won the 100m event in 10,21 seconds.

What's more remarkable though, is his story.

This athlete comes from a very poor background and his main source of income is taking photos for ID books. He had no money for running shoes but Olympic medalist Hezekiel Sepeng heard about his problem and gave him a pair three years ago. Magakwe still runs in those same shoes to this day.

He arrived at the track this weekend without a sports bag, but with his clothes in a plastic bag. He didn't have the funds to pay for accommodation in Stellenbosch and the mayor of Carletonville (Magakwe's hometown) decided to pay for it, after learning of his situation.

Simon first won the 100m in a moderate 10,32s but after the race the judges upheld a false start objection and the race was to be run again. Everyone expected the time to be slower since there was not much time for recovery but to everyone's surprise, the 22-year old won again, but this time in 10,21s, the 9th fastest time in SA history and also the fastest time for the event in almost ten years. With this time he qualified for the World Championship to be held in Berlin.

Well done Simon! I'm guessing you'll be issued with a proper sports bag by a sponsor for your next event. Read more on "Fairytale win for SA's fastest"!