Top Australian coach Nic Bideau says controversial runner Caster Semenya will easily win gold in Rio

CASTER Semenya won’t get out of second gear in winning Olympic gold. That’s the scary prediction of Aussie coach Nic Bideau.

South Africa runner Caster Semenya appears certain to win gold in the women’s 800m in Rio.

CASTER Semenya won’t get out of second gear in winning Olympic gold in Rio.

That’s the scary prediction of leading Australian coach Nic Bideau who has labelled the situation regarding the controversial South African 800m runner as “ridiculous”.

Semenya has been the subject of questioning over her gender since she burst onto the scene winning the 2009 world title.

“When you’re watching it, clearly it’s not a fair competition but the rules say it is fair,” Bideau said.

“It’s ridiculous but that’s the rules, what can you do about it? It’s not her fault, it’s just unfortunate.

South Africa runner Caster Semenya appears certain to win gold in the women’s 800m in Rio.

“This so clear cut and so decisive, she can win the Olympic Games and not run really well.

“You should only be able to win a gold medal in the Olympics if you run great but she can run ordinary and win.

“All the races I have seen this year, she just jogs the first lap and then sprints home in the end. She is never challenged.

“(Usain) Bolt is bigger, faster, stronger than everyone else but he runs flat out all the way when he races. This girl doesn’t.”

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Tests back in 2009 revealed Semenya had no womb or ovaries but internal testes and extremely high levels of testosterone.

In 2011 the IAAF introduced a rule which placed a ceiling on the testosterone levels of female competitors and those over it were required to lower their levels with special treatment.

However, the rule was successfully challenged last year at the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport with the regulations suspended for two years.

Semenya had been taking medication to lower her testosterone which dramatically affected her results.

Yet since the scrapping of these regulations the 25-year-old has produced stunning results and many believe she will break the 800m world record which has stood for 33 years in Rio.

At last month’s Monaco Diamond League meet the first three runners past the line all have question marks over their gender.

Semenya, the silver medallist from London 2012, won the race in a world leading time of 1min 55.33sec from Francine Niyonsaba, of Burundi, and Kenya’s world U/20 champion Margaret Wambui.

Bideau, who helped Cathy Freeman to Olympic glory and has 13 of his athletes in the Australia team heading for Rio, said it had been hard to watch.

“It’s not really fair for the other women out there,” Bideau said.

“You have to feel for the woman who finishes fourth in that race behind those three as you know it’s not really a fair competition, you can’t really compete.”

Australia has one representative in the 800m, Selma Kajan while there is a possibility Semenya might double in the 400m given she qualified for the event at the South African Olympic trials.

National 400m champion Morgan Mitchell, who was undefeated throughout the domestic season, didn’t want to buy into the Semenya debate on Wednesday.

“I’ll just focus on myself, it’s the IAAF’s decision on whatever she does, what any athlete does,” Mitchell said.

“I can’t control it so I’ll just focus on myself and try and run fast.”

Originally published as Top Australian coach Nic Bideau says controversial runner Caster Semenya will easily win gold in Rio