Semenya to keep medal regardless of gender test outcome

By George Scott, Sportsbeat

OFFICIALS from track and field's world governing body have confirmed Caster Semenya will keep her World Championship gold medal regardless of the outcome of a controversial gender test.

SECURE: Caster Semenya will keep her World Championship 800m gold regardless of the outcome of a gender test - and she's also enjoying the star treatment in South Africa (Getty Images/You Magazine)

The 18-year old burst onto the scene by clocking the fastest 800m time this year, by more than a second, at July's African Junior Championship.

And the South African athlete became embroiled in a gender row after winning the gold in Berlin at a canter.

The fall-out has seen the teenager's coach, Wilfred Daniels, quit over the way the affair was handled by the IAAF and Athletics South Africa.

Officials from the International Association of Athletics Federations expect the results of their tests to be concluded within the next fortnight.

However, they have admitted that Semenya competed in good faith in Berlin and there will be no retrospective altering of the result, regardless of the gender test analysis. Great Britain's Jenny Meadows finished third in the final.

Meanwhile, Semenya has defended her looks in a magazine interview in South Africa – and even become a cover star after a makeover.

"I am who I am and I am proud of myself," the 18-year-old told You Magazine.

"I see it all as a joke, it doesn't upset me. God made me the way I am and I accept myself.

"I've never bought my own clothes, my mum buys them for me, but now that I know I can look like this I'd like to dress like this more often.

"I'd like to dress up more often and wear dresses but I never get the chance.”