Semenya competed in her first race of the season and won the 3000m for woman in 9:36.29 to edge the South African and Free State cross-country champion, Kesa Moletsane, of the Kovsies by 1.17 seconds.

Following her win, Semenya told OFM Sport that it was just her second ever 3000m race in her illustrious career.

“This was just my second 3000, we obviously do a lot of 4km’s on the cross-country loop, but here it’s a bit different going around the track seven times.

“It’s something I never even do in training.

“The longest I do is a mile, which is 4 laps - that’s enough for me".

The women’s javelin filled the podium for the North West University Pukke with Sunette Viljoen throwing 62.82m to beat Jo-Ane van Dyk by 9.55m.

In her turn, Viljoen told OFM Sport that she is delighted to qualify for the 2017 IAAF World Championships in London during her first event of the season.

“I’m very, very happy, I’ve been putting a lot of hard work in and all my training has come together now.

“I had a really good conditioning phase and to qualify for the world championships during my first meeting has left me happy”.

In the men’s 200m Akani Simbine beta Botswana’s Isaac Makwala by 0.30 seconds to win in a time of 20.32 seconds, while Le Roux Hamman beat LJ van Zyl in the 400m hurdles for men in a winning time of 49.70 seconds.

The fourth and final leg of the Speed Series will take place in Germiston next week.

Morgan Piek/OFM Sport