Did Leni qualify for Doha World Championships?
Jun 05, 2019
That’s the question disturbing many after the quarter-miler put up a blistering run only for her performance to be undermined by a faulty timer.
Did Shida Leni hit the Doha World Championships qualifying mark last Saturday?
That's the question disturbing many after the quarter-miler put up a blistering run only for her performance to be undermined by a faulty timer.
The Police Athletics Club sprinter was hand-timed at 51.40 seconds.
The entry standard of Doha is 51.80 meaning that Leni was within the Doha requirement in the Akii-Bua Memorial meet at Namboole.
Leni's effort, however, came to naught on a technicality that only electronic timing is recognized by world athletics body IAAF.
The competition's timer was on and off. Leni was unlucky that her 400-meter event was one of those where the gun did not start off the clock.
Leni, who has broken the national record five times since last season, will, therefore, have to wait for June 24 at the Central Championship in Namboole.
Another quarter miler Aaron Adoli was one of the lucky ones who run while the timer was in good condition.
And indeed the Prisons Athletics Club runner made the best of the moment clocking 46.10, the fastest 400m in Namboole in over four years.
His superb form had him registering one of the day's biggest improvements from his previous 46.41 timing last month.
The towering sprinter, who recently hit the August 19 to 31 All Africa Games mark, however still has a lot of work if he is to hit the 45.30 Doha requirement.
His coaches Nalis Bigingo and Paul Okello are however confident he will make the Doha time.
"He has it all and it is just a matter of time before he qualifies," stated Okello.
Josephine Lalam was in equally impressive form throwing a 42.98 personal best in discuss before also impressing in her javelin specialty with a 52.19m performance.
Save for the timer-hitch, the day's performances were largely impressive— something attributed to the cash prizes.
All the top eight in each of the 10 invitational events got cash.