Cape Town - South African star athlete Caster Semenya was at her scintillating best in winning the gold medal in the women's 1 500m at the Commonwealth Games on Australia's Gold Coast on Tuesday.

Semenya stopped the clock in a new Games and South African record time of 4:00.71.

Kenya's Beatrice Chepkoech took silver (4:03.09) with Wales' Melissa Courtney in third (4:03.44).

Semenya will take to the track in the heats of her favoured distance, the 800m, on Thursday at 04:20 (SA time), with the final scheduled for 12:45 (SA time) on Friday.

Semenya, the reigning Olympic champion over the two-lap distance, will be an overwhelming favourite to clinch her second gold of the Games.