Semenya, Nanyondo face off in 800m women''s final

Sep 14, 2015

Winnie Nanyondo set up a clash with Caster Semenya as a strong field qualified for the 800m women''s final at the All Africa Games Sunday night at the Kintele National Stadium in Brazzaville, Congo.

By Charles Mutebi

All Africa Games

Athletics Results

Winnie Nanyondo through to women's 800m final

Leni Shida through to women's 400m final

Mildred Gamba eliminated in 100m semifinal heats

Leonard Opiny eliminated in men's 400m semifinal heats

Denis Opio eliminated in men's 400m semifinal heats

Winnie Nanyondo set up a clash with Caster Semenya as a strong field qualified for the 800m women's final at the All Africa Games Sunday night at the Kintele National Stadium in Brazzaville, Congo.

And if the qualification times for the final race due Monday night were anything to go by, Nanyondo had a pretty good shot. Nanyondo's time of 2:05:24 was only good enough for third place in semifinal heat number 3 but it was actually the better than all the other times, including Semenya's. The South African managed 2:07:25 as she led the first heat but she seemed intentionally holding back a full-blown charge.

Such luxury is rarely displayed in finals and Nanyondo's medal hopes were resting on another strong showing, one that would require her usual strong start to be accompanied with a powerful middle section.

For compatriot and 400m runner Leni Shida, the task of grabbing a medal appeared even much harder. Shida qualified for the 400m final with the seventh best time (53 seconds), rendering her chances of a top three finish in the final also due Monday unpromising.

Still, in qualifying for the final of their respective races, Nanyondo and Shida made a statement that should not be taken lightly, especially since two of Uganda's other athletes failed to make it out of the men's 400m semifinal heats while another did not progress beyond the women's 100m semifinal heats.

Mildred Gamba finished second-last in her women's 100m semifinal heat with a time of 12:25 while Denis Opio and Leonard Opiny clocked 47.27 and 48.40 in the men's 400m semifinal heats as they were eliminated.

Uganda's paralympians (Christine Akullo, David Emong, Emmanuel Vukoso and Bashir Bwega) were also set to open their accounts Monday.

Confident Nanyondo cruises to final

Nanyondo predicted gold and got it