Kusela Mkhize struggled to sleep all night until she finally decided to get up at five in the morning. By six, Mkhize was at OR Tambo International Airport, waiting for the arrival of South Africa's newest heroine ? elite athlete Caster Semenya.

Mkhize, a 28-year-old physiotherapist, drove the 60 kilometres from Pretoria to join some 1000 people who packed the airport's main arrivals hall to chant, sing and dance a welcome to Team South Africa on Tuesday.

Eighteen-year-old Semenya, from a rural village in Limpopo province, shrugged off controversy over her sex to win gold in the 800-metre event at the International Association of Athletics Federations' (IAAF) world championships in Berlin last week.

'We love her'

"I am so proud of Caster," said Mkhize. "I think she has been treated unfairly. It is important for us to come out and show her that she is part of us, and that we love her."

Semenya arrived with two other South African world championship medalists: Mbulaeni Mulaudzi, who won gold in the men's 800-metre event, and long-jumper Khotso Mokoena, who won silver.

Many of the assembled fans expressed outrage at the IAAF's decision to conduct "gender verification" tests (PDF) on Semenya, and the insensitive way the association had handled the issue. They said they wanted Semenya to know that she was loved and supported.

Worldwide attention

Semenya's story has grabbed worldwide attention. "Caster Semenya" has been a top search term on Google News for the past week, returning some 12 700 results, while a Google web search produces 4.8-million results. Semenya's most popular support page on Facebook has over 43 000 members, and growing.

At the airport, Lolo Mokone held a newspaper poster of Semenya with the words: 'SIMPLY THE BEST'. On the poster, he had scribbled in black marker: 'MARRY ME!!!' and 'CALL ME!! 073 ETC!!'

"I don't care what they say about her, as long as she will marry me," said Mokone, wearing a snazzy dark suit and orange tie.

Mtombe Kaya Masimini, a senior manager at Standard Bank, had to postpone an early morning meeting to make it to the airport.

Nobody can decide their roots

"She is being crucified by the world," she said. "You don't decide your roots. Only God can do that. It's time the world respected women such as Caster."

Airport worker Michelle Nayaro agreed. "What does it mean to be a woman, anyway?" she asked. "Is it lipstick and long hair?"

Vuvuzela trumpets blared, drums echoed and Zulu dancers jived as Semenya entered the arrivals lounge, surrounded by officials and police. The crowds filled the floor, as well as the tiers on the second and third floors of the echoing arrivals hall.

Semenya appeared stunned as the crowd surged and followed her and her entourage like a river, moving swiftly and at times threatening to become stampede before she was finally whisked away to safety.

Also at the airport were Dorcas and Jacob Semenya, Caster's mother and father.

"She looked at me straight in the eye and then she kissed and hugged me," Dorcas told The Star newspaper. "As we embraced each other, I asked her if she was okay and she said: 'I am well, but worried about you, Mama.'"

Our golden girl

From the airport Semenya, Mulaudzi and Mokoena were taken to Pretoria, where they met South African President Jacob Zuma at the presidential guest house. At a press conference afterwards, Zuma made special mention of Semenya.

"We salute in particular, our golden girl, Ms Semenya, who has made Women's Month more special and remarkable through her outstanding achievement," he said.

He then expressed his "displeasure" at the way in which the IAAF had treated Semenya.

"It is one thing to seek to ascertain whether or not an athlete has an unfair advantage over others. But it is another to publicly humiliate an honest, professional and competent athlete. We extend our support to Ms Semenya and her family during this difficult period.

"Continue to walk tall, Mokgadi, we are proud of you. We love you. These events should not distract us from celebrating your outstanding achievement on the track."

Although Semenya did not speak during the press conference, she later opened up to journalists, becoming particularly animated about her win.

"I took the lead at 400 metres and I killed them, they couldn't follow," she said. "I celebrated the last 200 because I knew...

"It's pretty good to win a gold medal and bring it home. I didn't know I could win. It?s for the first time in my life, experiencing the world championships senior. I couldn't believe it, man."

The controversy around Semenya has obscured the fact the South African team was placed ninth on the medal table at this year's world championships, with two golds and a silver, their best performance since the 2003 competitions in Paris.

This article is from www.MediaClubSouthAfrica.com