Nakaayi sets sights on Diamond League glory
Jun 11, 2018
These series were designed to replace the IAAF Golden League
Halima Nakaayi is seriously eyeing a share of the IAAF Diamond League cash.
The Uganda Wildlife Authority athlete ran Uganda's sixth fastest 800 meters of the year to finish second in Stockholm at the weekend.
She clocked two minutes 01.37 seconds in a race won by Ethiopia's Regasa Shume in 2:01.16.
Jacob Kiplimo, Uganda's other representative at the same meet, finished sixth in the 5000m. The race was won by another Ethiopian, Selemon Belega, in 13:04.05.
Double Commonwealth Games gold medallist Joshua Chepetegei was Uganda's best bet for a good share of the Diamond League money.
He however pulled out of the series last month with a knee injury.
These series were designed to replace the IAAF Golden League, which had been held annually since 1998.
It encompasses 32 disciplines, following a championship style model where athletes earn points at the various meetings to qualify for the final of their event.
Each discipline is staged six or four times before the final. At each of the qualification meetings, athletes are awarded points for ranking 1st to 8th respectively.
The cumulative winner of each discipline wins a $50,000 (sh185m) prize at the end of the season.
With two finals, each staging 16 diamond disciplines, the total prize money awarded amounts to $1.6m (sh5.9bn).
At each qualification meeting, $30,000 (sh111m) prize money is awarded per discipline.