Chemusto makes 1500m final in Nanjing

By Teddy Nakanjakko

All that 16-year old Janat Chemusto, needed at the first race in the Nanjing Olympic Stadium of the 2nd Summer Youth Olympic Games 2014 was to be among the first ten in order to qualify for the Sunday finals of 3000m.

Her strategy therefore was keeping with the lead pack and ensuring that she did not burn out but qualify.

Unlike other games where there were heats,  at the Youth Olympic Games this was only one heat of 20 athletes and of which the first 10 automatically qualified for the medal group which is Group A while the other 10 qualify for the final in group B.

Getting on the track, Chemusto was very aware of this in the first 1500m kept in the 15th position and at 200m to go, she increased her pace and joined the lead pack with one lap to go.

Though she looked tired she endured and managed to qualify for the Sunday finals in 7th position, making a personal best of 9:10.74 from the 9:36.94 she qualified for the games with.

“The race was good and a fast one; now I am going to train harder for the finals on Sunday and get a new strategy so that I win a medal for my country,” Chemusto said after the race.

The teenager has had a good race making a personal best from the time she qualified with for the games and she is still young. I am happy that she followed our strategy to keep with the lead pack so that she qualifies for the medal group.

All along in training I have emphasized rest after training and this is working for us”, said coach Issamat.

“All she needed was qualifying for the medal group which she has done,” added the Chief De Mission, Godfrey Nuwagaba.

Today, Thursday Steven Mande will be on the track in heat 2 of the 1500m where the first four automatically qualify for the final and then the fifth comes from the fastest loser while the rest will run in the final B.

Meanwhile, Florence Seera could not play her consolation badminton game with Italian  Giogia Piccolin due to a toothache while Rower Constance Mambu finished sixth in her final 1000m race in the time of 4:56.12.