Mutola to coach South Africa's Semenya

Former world 800 metres champion Caster Semenya has turned to two-lap great Maria Mutola to help her win Olympic gold in London next year, the South African said on Monday.

Semenya, who left her previous coach Michael Seme shortly after capturing silver behind Russian Mariya Savinova at the world championships in South Korea last month, said that joining up with 2000 Olympic champion Mutola would help kick-start her career.

"Maria has been my idol since I started to run," Semenya, who won gold at the Berlin world championships in 2009, said in a statement.

"After Daegu I asked Maria if she was interested in coaching me. Her answer was positive and I am very happy now. Maria has had a long and super successful career. She will be a great teacher for me."

Mutola, who won the world 800m title three times as well as Sydney Games gold while running for Mozambique, said that she was looking forward to preparing the 20-year-old Semenya for the London Olympics.

"We still have a long road to go if we want to be number one in the London Olympics next summer," Mutola said.

"Caster just needs to take the last steps to be a professional athlete. I want to use all my experience to help her to understand what it means to be on the top. It is much easier to get the top than to stay there."