( CNN ) -- South African athletics officials have rallied behind controversial new running star Caster Semenya , who won the women 's world 800 meters title just hours after the sport 's governing body asked for the 18-year-old 's gender to be verified . Semenya celebrates her gold , which came just hours after the IAAF called for a gender test on the athlete . Semenya crushed her rivals by streaking away to secure victory in a time of one minute 55.45 seconds -- the best in the world this year and more than eight seconds quicker than her fastest effort of 2008 . She finished more than two seconds clear of second-placed Kenyan Janeth Jepkosgei , the 2007 champion . However , the race was run amid controversy following the announcement by the International Amateur Athletics Federation ( IAAF ) . Have your say : What 's your opinion on the IAAF 's decision ? Semenya 's masculine build fueled rumors , but the South Africa team manager said there should be no dispute . `` Even the ID that she has , the passport , says she is a female , '' Phiwe Mlangeni-Tsholetsane told CNN by phone from Berlin on Thursday . `` There was no cheating on our part , or even on the part of the athlete . '' She said Semenya was not bothered by the questions over her gender and was simply focusing on improving her times . `` If there are tests being done , we accept that . We ca n't stop that , '' Mlangeni-Tsholetsane said . `` We have nothing to hide . '' Meanwhile , Semenya received her gold medal in the podium ceremony on Thursday , receiving a warm ovation from the crowd in the Berlin Olympic Stadium . Dressed in the yellow and green track suit of South Africa , Semenya mouthed the words of their national anthem as her country 's flag was raised . Results from the IAAF 's planned tests are not expected to be known in the near future . `` The gender verification test is an extremely complex procedure , '' said IAAF spokesman Nick Davies -- who revealed the question of Semenya 's gender was first raised after her astonishing African Junior Championships displays . `` In the case of this athlete , following her breakthrough in the African Junior Championships , the rumors , the gossip were starting to build up , '' Davies told reporters . Semenya declined to take part in the scheduled post-race interview , reported South African tabloid Sowetan , and her place was taken by IAAF general secretary Pierre Weiss . `` The investigations will take some days or weeks and I 'm not a doctor to give a conclusive answer on her gender . But we know her as a woman , '' Pierre said . Athletics South Africa president Leonard Chuene accused South African media of trying to `` destroy '' Semenya , according to Sowetan -- which described the runner as `` our golden girl . '' `` They have their own agenda and I can tell you that they will not succeed , '' Chuene said . `` This girl has been to African youth championships and other international events , and why was this issue not raised then ? `` Why now ? Is it because she is not an athlete they were expecting to do well in her maiden appearance in the senior championships ? '' Her father Jacob Semenya told the paper before the race that the accusations were unfounded . `` She is my little girl . I raised her and I have never doubted her gender . She is a woman and I can repeat that a million times , '' he said on Wednesday .
NEW : IAAF receives gold medal in ceremony 2008 . African athletics officials rally behind controversial new women 's star . Sowetan scored runaway victory in women 's 800 meters title race . She ran in the final after ruling body asked for gender test on the teenager . The 18-year-old 's father also insists that she is female .