Caster Semenya, denied an opportunity to win a third successive Olympic 800 metres gold, will on Friday attempt to qualify for the Tokyo Games over 5000m.
Semenya will run in a meeting in Durban where she must dramatically improve her personal best over the distance to be able to go to the Olympics in two month’s time.
The 30-year-old South African is banned from competing in any race from 400m to a mile, after World Athletics ruled in 2018 that in order to ensure fair competition women with high natural testosterone levels must take drugs to reduce them to compete in middle-distance races.
Semenya, who refuses to take medication to alter her testosterone levels, has challenged the ruling but seen several appeals dismissed. The 5000m is therefore her best chance to go to the Tokyo Games.