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Ken Borland


Semenya wins, but misses qualifying time 0

Posted on March 26, 2012 by Ken

Former world champion Caster Semenya made a winning return to 800m action on Saturday in Potchefstroom, but failed to reach the Olympic qualifying standard.

Semenya won the 800m in the second leg of the Yellow Pages Series in Potchefstroom, clocking 2:03.60, well outside the Olympic qualifer of 1:59.90.

The 2009 world champion and 2011 World Championship silver-medallist said she was sorry she had not set the pace earlier in a slow-paced race.

“I ran a little stupidly because I didn’t take the lead from the beginning. I thought they would push the pace, but we all learn from our mistakes.

“Everyone knows the Olympics is the most important thing this year, so I must set the qualifying time, and we’ll take it from there,” Semenya told reporters after the race.

Semenya was embroiled in a controversy over her gender after her 2009 triumph in Berlin, and the IAAF ordered her to undergo gender testing.

In July 2010 she was cleared to run in women’s events, but is currently returning to full fitness after a back problem disrupted her season last year.

The 21-year-old stayed with the pack for the first 300 metres on Saturday, but broke away before the end of the first lap and slowly pulled clear of the other competitors on the second lap to win comfortably.

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Category Athletics, Sport

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    Christ-likeness is about bearing his fruit – We can’t produce it ourselves.

    For this we need the Holy Spirit in our inner being.

    “Stay close to him and do all we can to get to know him better. Spiritual growth is an ongoing process to which we should dedicate ourselves wholeheartedly.” – A Shelter From The Storm by Solly Ozrovech

    It’s a real challenge to become like Jesus, a living faith requires effort from our side.

    “But he always meets us more than halfway when our efforts are sincere, and strengthens us through his Spirit.” – ibid. We must obediently follow wherever he leads.

    “It is essential to develop a healthy personal relationship with the living Christ. Remain near to Jesus through faithful prayer and meditation. Then, when problems strike, you will find that he will be with you to help you overcome them with peace [worry has a very negative effect] in your heart.” – ibid.

    Remember that Jesus himself was not exempt from problems, nor did his problems just disappear instantaneously. So he can share your burden and teach you how to cope with it so that you can have peace of mind too.

    Jesus lived by Romans 8:31 – “If God is for us, who can be against us?”. He looked forward to a new heaven and a new earth. Just like Jesus, we must conquer sin and death.

    His life of abundance should encompass our situation here and now, and everything in our whole life.

    Surrender yourself to his Holy Spirit – it is his Spirit that gives you the ability to handle life’s problems successfully.

    2 Corinthians 2:14 – “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ.”

    Co-operate with God! Walk the path of life in his light, like Jesus did. Jesus carried out his tasks in God’s strength. He took his problems to God in prayer and acted in complete dependence on him. He committed himself to God.

    He surrendered unconditionally!

     



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