Sport
Caster Semenya named to South Africa’s initial Olympic squad
The South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee said it would stand by its qualifying criteria, which has been criticized as too stringent, after South Africa returned just one medal at Beijing in 2008.
He missed the qualifying time in his first four international meets this season, in the Czech Republic, Netherlands and United States.
The 21-year-old Semenya is one of the country’s leading medal hopes for London, three years after her stunning international debut at the worlds was overshadowed by controversial gender tests and an 11-month enforced layoff from competition. She was cleared to run in July 2010.
“We all know what a tough road she’s had to tread to get this far,” SASCOC President Gideon Sam said.
Reddy also said it was up to the national track federation, Athletics South Africa, to decide whether to take Pistorius as part of the 4×400 relay team. South Africa won silver in the 4×400 at the world championships last year, when Pistorius was controversially dropped for the final after running in the semifinal.
Athletics South Africa President James Evans said the 4×400 team would be picked on form.
“It’s too early to say” whether Pistorius would make the relay team, Evans wrote in an email to the AP. “We will have to see what times the guys are running by the end of the month.”
Copyright 2012 Associated Press.
