LONDON – Semenya was speaking ahead of the opening ceremony where she led out the South African team as the flag bearer.

“I am not going to worry about these gender things, I’m just going to concentrate on my future and look forward,” Semenya said.

She added that it was a great privilege to carry the South African flag, an honour she did not expect to befall   her.

“It is quite exciting and, for me, when I look back at my career, I didn’t think I was going to make it to the Olympics,” she said.

“Today, I am here and now it is my responsibility to lead the team to the glory we hope for – those 12 medals as we mentioned, but I hope we can double that.”

Semenya was selected to carry the flag ahead of double-amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius and Khotso Mokoena, South Africa’s only medallist at the 2008 Beijing Games.

Pistorius will make history in the English capital where he will become the first amputee to compete on the track in the able-bodied Olympic Games.

Another amputee, open water swimmer Natalie du Toit, was the first woman to carry South Africa’s flag when she was chosen to lead the team around the track at the opening ceremony in Beijing.

Marathon runner Jan Tau was South Africa’s flag bearer when the country returned from isolation at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona. He was succeeded by boxer Masibulele Makepula (Atlanta 1996), and middle-distance runners Hezekiel Sepeng (Sydney 2000) and Mbulaeni Mulaudzi (Athens 2004).

Semenya, who was cleared to run in 2010 after an 11-month gender controversy, said she had a difficult build-up to the Games.

She was, however, ready to take on the world when she lines up in the women’s 800m heat at Olympic Stadium on August 8.

“I had a rough season this year, I changed coaches and started from the beginning,” Semenya said about Olympic gold medallist Maria Mutola replacing her former coach Michael Seme.

“It hasn’t been easy for me to adapt to the training but we are getting there.

“I just have to put my spikes on and do my best.”

Semenya added that while her times this year had been under-par, she had been not particularly worried about it ahead of the Games.

“I am not upset with my performances, I know where I am coming from, so build-up wise I’m okay.

“I’m not going to worry about those times.

“It is a matter of running a good championship and sometimes it doesn’t matter if you run good times or not, it is about how you handle the championships.”

The 21-year-old’s demeanour is in stark contrast to the shy girl who won the gold medal at the World Championships three years ago.

Semenya will be competing against one of the strongest 800m field in years with Olympic champion Pamelo Jelimo from Kenya and world champion, Mariya Savinova of Russia, being her greatest threats.