Caster Semenya denies lobola rumours

Cape Town - South Africa's star 800m runner, Caster Semenya, has dispelled any rumours of an impending engagement to fellow athlete, Violet Ledile Raseboya.

"There is no wedding. Don't believe the rumours you read in the news," Semenya is reported to have said by the Sowetan website.

However, according to the Daily Sun website on Monday, Semenya, 23, sent her parents to Raseboya's family in Polokwane to negotiate lobola - a traditional Southern African custom whereby the family of the fiancé is paid for her hand in marriage.

An insider revealed that both families were happy to negotiate lobola, with Semenya's family paying R25 000.

Semenya first shot to stardom in 2009 when she won gold in the women's 800m at the IAAF's World Championships in Berlin, before being controversially subjected to gender testing.

She was cleared and won the silver medal at the 2011 World Championship in Daegu.

Semenya's greatest achievement to date was a silver medal in the 800m at the 2012 London Olympics and is said to be hard in training for the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.