How clever Nanyondo recovered to win bronze

By Norman Katende

2014 Commonwealth Games
Women 800m
1 Eunice Sam (KEN) 2:00.31
2 Lynsey Sharp (SCO) 2:01.34
3 Winnie Nanyondo (UGA) 2 : 01.38

GLASGOW - Winnie Nanyondo won her first international track and field medal after battling through other runners to finish third at the Commonwealth Games women 800m final.

The runner, who had promised to fight on got the first boost when she was given lane four to start and her confidence showed that she was focussed on her breakthrough.

Bad move nearly costs her

Having decided to go infront to set the pace, Nanyondo wanted to release after the 500m mark and this is when she made a mistake that nearly cost her the race.

She decided to run from inside the track and was nearly blocked as Kenya’s Eunice Sam, the eventual winner went infront of her and Scottish Linsey Shard on her side together with England’s Jennifer Meadow and Judd Jessica, making her running tight as she could not go ahead or move out.

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Nanyondo (behind leader) before she manouvered her her out

However she reacted fast as they approached the final bend to the home straight, struggling her way out as the duo of Sum and Sharp had already created some big gap, chasing them while at the same time running away from an approaching Judd, to clinch the bronze medal.

“I am happy. I have been praying for that,” she said adding that she will be learning from the mistake in the next race.

Coach Benjamin Longiross said that Nanyondo, who is under Global Sports Communication, reacted well and fast

“She was good for silver but that mistake affected her. But she is new on the scene and with more experience on the small technicalities, she will beat them,” said Longiross after the race.