Caster Semenya makes a winning return after her enforced exile

Caster Semenya made a winning return to the track in her first race since being exiled from the sport 11 months ago. The shy South African teenager won comfortably in a respectable time of 2min 4.22sec at the Lappeenranta Games, a low‑key meeting near Finland's south‑eastern border with Russia. The competition in the field hardly posed a threat to Semenya, who won the world title last year in 1:55.45, none of the other athletes having ever broken two minutes, but this race was all about getting a much‑hyped return over and done with and establishing the kind of shape she might be in after such an extended absence. Her agent, Jukka Harkonen, revealed the level of tension those around her had felt ahead of the race. "She was very relaxed after the race but very nervous before it, with all the people talking. It was a big thing. The main thing was to open the season, that was a huge step. We were lucky with the weather and the big crowd was fantastic. I was terribly nervous too, and Michael more. There were so many times when we had to cancel everything and come again." Semenya's coach, Michael Seme, had hoped for a time around 2.04 and, as her result came in, he could not stop beaming. "Maybe we will start our proper training on Monday now," said Seme. "We can certainly do more than this. For the Commonwealth Games [in October] it looks perfect. This was the time I was aiming for, even 2.06 would have been good for her, but 2.04 or 2.05 was what I hoped. Maybe we should organise to come here more often, it was good." Semenya said: "I was a little bit nervous because it's been a long time not competing, so to come here and start competing again was hard, actually. Immediately the gun fired I felt a little bit better as I felt more and more comfortable as I started to do my thing. The performance was pretty good because after sitting at home for 11 months, to come back and run 2.04 is not easy, especially after what happened to me. So, yes, I'm pretty happy with it. I'm happy to get back to my normal thing – what I've been doing for the past three years." Did she feel bitter about her enforced absence from the sport? "I'm not going to say I feel bitter about what happened because I forgot about that thing a long time ago. It was just good to come back. It's a new beginning." Others in her situation, her gender scrutinised by the world's media, may have been tempted to quit, but the 19-year-old said that was never an option. "I could never quit because running is running. Running or not running is the same. Maybe it was good for me to rest after I ran the fastest time last year." Semenya will remain in Finland to compete at the Lapinlahti Games on Sunday, and from there build up to more high‑profile meetings. A gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in October is her target this season. Whether she can return to last year's form, or even run quicker, is a question on everyone's lips. Semenya, though, has no doubt that she can be faster still. "I think so because I am still young and the muscles are still developing, so I think I can run faster than that."