Caster Semenya makes world athletics comeback

Caster Semenya returned to the athletics world championships last night, the scene two years ago of her greatest triumph - and her subsequent humiliation.

The South African 800m runner won gold in the 2009 world championships in Berlin only hours after news was leaked that the athletics governing body, the IAAF, had asked her to undergo a gender test.

Although she was allowed to keep the gold medal, Semenya was barred from athletics for nearly a year afterwards as allegations about her gender flew and the IAAF conducted an investigation.

Last night in Daegu, South Korea, Semenya qualified for the 800m semi-final with ease. She led the field for much of the race before being beaten in the final straight by Mariya Savinova of Russia, who holds this year's fastest time in the event.

Semenya finished in 2 minutes, 1.01 seconds - a long way off her 2009 championship-winning time of 1 minute 55.45 seconds. But she wasn't exactly pushed last night - and despite gossip about a rift with her coach and hormone treatments slowing her down, there is a feeling she is saving the best for the later stages.

Semenya herself insists she is not suffering from the glare of publicity, saying after the race: "I'm not under pressure. I want to go back and focus on the semi-finals."

Whatever she achieves this week, many believe that, like her countryman, the 400m 'blade-runner' Oscar Pistorius, Semenya has already triumphed just by making the world championships. ·