A WORLD champion female runner is to have a sex test over fears she is a MAN.

Caster Semenya, 18, stormed to victory in last night’s 800 metres final at the World Championships in Berlin in 1 minute, 55.45 seconds – the fastest time of the year.

But deep-voiced Semenya – who finished ahead of Britain’s Jenny Meadows in third – could be stripped of her medal if she fails a “gender verification test”.

Athletics chiefs ordered the test three weeks ago when the beefy teenager, below after final, won the African junior championships in Mauritius – and smashed her personal best time by seven seconds.

But it could take several weeks before the test result is known as several medical experts are involved and they each write a report. The athlete’s DNA will also undergo a string of checks.

The International Association of Athletics Federations spokesman Nick Davies said: “Following the African junior championships, the rumours, the gossip started to build up.

“The test is extremely complex. It’s a medical issue – not an issue of cheating.”

South Africa team manager Phiwe Mlangeni-Tsholetsane said: “There was no cheating. We entered her as a woman and want to keep it that way.”