Sports

Semenya bests weak field in 800-metre race

Caster Semenya has won her first race since being cleared to return to competition after undergoing gender tests, clocking two minutes 4.22 seconds in the 800 metres at the Lappeenranta Games in Finland.

South African aiming to be in gold medal contention at Commonwealth Games

Caster Semenya has won her first race since being cleared to return to competition after undergoing gender tests.

The 19-year-old South African won the 800 metres in a modest time of two minutes 4.22 seconds on Thursday at the low-key Lappeenranta Games in Finland.

Her time was a long way off the 1:55.45 Semenya clocked when she won the 800-metre gold medal at the world championships in Berlin 11 months ago.

Semenya, who started in lane 4, was even with most of her competition before pulling away on the home straight to beat a weak field.

Semenya is aiming to be in gold medal contention at October's Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, India.

Her next race is at the Lapinlahti Games on Sunday.