Sport

MILAN (AP):

World champion runner Caster Semenya has set herself a goal of winning the 800-metre gold medal at next month's Common-wealth Games in New Delhi.

Despite a poor run of form in recent weeks, the South African teenager said yesterday that she is gearing up for the Common-wealth Games in India and next year's World Championships in Daegu, South Korea. Her next race will be in Milan next Thursday.

"Of course, I'm going to Delhi to run for gold in the Common-wealth Games," said Semenya, who was only recently cleared to run after being embroiled in an 11-month gender dispute following her 800 world title last year in Berlin. "That's my main event this year."

Aiming for gold

The 19-year-old Semenya ran 2 minutes, 7.16 seconds at a meet in Rovereto on Tuesday - much slower than her season's best of 1:59.65 - for her second consecutive loss. She finished third at the Diamond League meeting in Brussels on Friday.

"I'm just preparing for the Commonwealth Games and the World Championships next year," Semenya said of her form. "There's the chance to defend my title and then there's the Olympic Games (in 2012). These are all things I am aiming for."

Semenya, however, has been criticised for her lacklustre performance in Rovereto, in which she finished ninth.

"We took the view that if she tried to win all these meets when it comes to the Commonwealth Games she wouldn't be able to run well," said her coach, Michael Seme. "So we had to stick to the plan and we are still following these goals for the Commonwealth Games."