Chekwel records new personal best in France

By Norman Katende

JULIET Chekwel opened her 2014 account by running a new personal best, though her performance has come a tad late as the final team to the Glasgow Commonwealth Games has already been named.

Chekwel, Uganda’s only woman representative at the 2013 Moscow World Athletics Championships managed to run 15 minutes 43.47 seconds to finish second in the Carquefou International Track Meeting in France over the weekend. Chekwel’s personal best stood at 16:48.7.

But her failure to compete in any track event after the Africa Cross Country Championships left the Uganda Athletics Federation technical committee unaware of her potential of competing on the track.

The national 10000m record holder failed to beat France's Christine Bardelle, who won in a time of 15:15.27.

She however beat Ethiopian duo of Shito Wudessa (15:50.84) and Marta Tigabea (15:15.57) to third and fourth place respectively.

"The first pacer was poor running 3:45 in the first 1000m. I had to push harder and managed to run inside the targeted time of 9:14," Chekwel said.

Chekwel’s prayer now will be to be included on the national team to the explosive Africa Senior Athletics Championships that will be held in Marrakech, Morocco in August.

Uganda’s team to the Commonwealth Games: Solomon Mutai, Abraham Kiplimo, Philip Kiplimo, Moses Kibet, Moses Kipsiro, Timothy Toroitich, Jacob Araptany, Ronald Musagala, Denis Opio, Emmanuel Tugumisirize, Ali Ngaimoko, Anthony  Okiror, Vanis Chemutai, Linnet Toroitich Chebet, Winnie Nanyondo, Emily Nanziri, Shida Leni and Halima Nakaayi