Caster Semenya says fans' backing vital and eyes 1,500 for 2012

Caster Semenya is unfazed about questions from her fellow 800 metre competitors over her gender - as long as the fans' reactions remain positive.

Having been cleared to run following an 11-month gender dispute, Semenya has been cheered at her four races since returning. But Canadian opponent Diane Cummins openly questioned the South African's gender at a meet in Berlin earlier this month, just like Elisa Cusma Piccione of Italy did at last year's world championships.

"My coach used to tell me that opponents didn't exist. So it doesn't matter who supports you or doesn't support you," Semenya told a small group of reporters on the eve of her latest meeting in Palio della Quercia, northern Italy, today. "The important thing is the audience, the people who cheer for you. The friendships start outside the races, because during the races everyone is doing their own thing."

Semenya could face many more competitors soon if she fulfils her wish of adding another event, the 1,500 metres, in time for the 2012 London Olympics.

"It's not a problem going for two events," the South African said, recalling that she put up decent 1,500 times in junior meets. "It depends how strong you are, because you go through (qualifying) rounds."

Those qualifying rounds require a great deal of strategy, and too much planning was just what backfired for Semenya when she finished third in the Diamond League meet in Brussels on Friday. Semenya hung in the back of the pack for most of the race and by the time she started charging it was too late.

"Now all the other coaches are aware that people are using this system of coming from behind," Semenya's coach, Michael Seme, said. "Now we're going to change. We'll (stay) with them - not at the back, not leading - just in the (pack), then we'll try to push more in the last 200 metres."

Despite the loss in Brussels, Semenya still clocked 1 minute, 59.66 seconds - the fastest time of her comeback. She's aiming for 1:58 in today's meeting and 1:57 at the Commonwealth Games in October.

Semenya ran her personal best 1:55.45 seconds when she won the gold medal at last year's world championships in Berlin, prompting many observes to declare it was only a matter of time before she broke Jarmila Kratochvilova's world record of 1:53.28 set in 1983.

The 11-month layoff has put off the world record plans.

"We don't even think about that," Seme said. "That's for 2012 and the Olympic Games. It's better to break the world record then - when everybody is watching."