One is a woman who was controversially forced to undergo gender testing. The other is a man who will, equally rivetingly, rely on carbon fibre blades to advance his sport. Even if neither makes it to the podium in their chosen event, Caster Semenya and Oscar Pistorius will have defied tremendous odds just to get to the Olympic Games in July. The duo will make headlines simply by taking part, though neither has as yet qualified. Both have bettered the required time, but must repeat the feat before June 30 to be selected.
Semenya, 21, was a world gold medallist before an 11-month career hiatus following gender testing in 2009, and won silver on her return. Her chosen Olympic events are the 800m and the 4x400m relay and she is already considered a gold medal favourite.
"I don't feel pressure (to qualify). I just need to do my thing," she told the AP newswire after failing to hit the qualifying mark of one minute 59.90 seconds this month — although she retained her national title. "Everyone wants to win the Olympics. So do I."
It is also uncertain if Pistorius, an amputee who uses carbon fibre prosthetic running blades, will represent South Africa at the Games. He finished seventh in the recent 400m race at the national championships. So far, he is the only South African to have bettered the Olympic qualifying time of 45.30 seconds, with 45.20 seconds this year.
Now 25, Pistorius was born without fibulas and had his lower legs amputated when only 11 months old. Despite his achievements — or rather because of them — there has been much debate over whether the carbon fibre blades give him an unfair advantage on the track.
As he waits for the final selections, he is simply focused on doing his best. He told the AP recently: "My job is just to work hard until [the selections] and prove I'm in the right condition to be quite a strong 400-metre athlete if I get called up."
