Semenya Clocks 4:01.99 to win African Championships 1500m title

Former World 800m Champion Caster Semenya of South Africa clocked a surprising 4:01.99 to win 1500m gold at the African Championships on Friday afternoon in Durban, SA.

In the women's 1500m final that took place on day 3 at the 20th African Championships, Semenya beat into second former African Champion Ababe Arafi of Morocco, who finished almost 2 seconds behind the South African. 

Semenya's winning time was more than 6 seconds faster than her previous personal best from 2009 season when she won 800m gold at he 2009 World Championships in Berlin. The 25-year-old runner has now qualified in 3 events for Rio Olympics; 400m, 800m and 1500m. She is yet to decided which events she will run at the Olympics. 

South African athletes concluded the day with victories in the women's and men's 4x100m relays.  SA women's 4x100m team of Tebogo Mamatu‚ Alyssa Conley‚ Tamzin Thomas and Carina Horn posted 43.66, while men's 4x100m squad of Emile Erasmus‚ Wayde van Niekerk‚ Gift Leotlela and Akani Simbine clocked 38.84.

Women's 1500m Results