Semenya denies media report she's 'too traumatised to take' exams

Submitted by ATAF Editor on 16 October 2009 - 10:42pm

South Africa's World 800m champion Caster Semenya has debunked newspaper claims that she's not ready to write her first-year university examinations.

The 18-year-old University of Pretoria Sport Science student has been under immense pressure since her gender was questioned after she won the 800m World Athletics Championships in Berlin, Germany in August.

She told the Sowetan she was ready for the exams which start next week and also responded to a story published in Beeld on Thursday that she had told the university she was unable to write the exams.

Also South African media reports quoted Caster Semenya's coach, Michael Seme, earlier this week saying he suspected the trauma of the controversy led her to request a test delay. But, Semenya denied that.

"I've no idea what you are talking about man. Maybe you should ask the person who was quoted," she said.

"I have been studying hard and I am ready for my exams."

"I do not want to speak about what is happening in my life but I can assure you that I'm fine." Her father Jacob Semenya was also upset.

"They can say what ever they want to say, but the truth will always be the truth," he told the paper.

"I am tired of these ugly reports about my child. I speak to her every day and she never mentioned she was not writing her exams."

Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, a prominent African National Congress member who is on a committee formed by the governing party to support Semenya also told reporters the reports were untrue.