Female athletes target qualification for World Championships

Jun 14, 2017

Uganda Athletics Federation is optimistic that more Ugandan athletes will hit the qualifying marks before the door slams shut on July 23

World Athletics Championships (London, Aug 5-13)

Uganda has registered a marked increase in the number of qualifiers for the 16th World Athletics Championships which will take place in London this August.

The number which currently stands at 15 is likely to grow with Winnie Nanyondo, Dorcus Ajok (800m) and Esther Chebet (1500m) knocking on the door, judging from their recent performances.

Ajok is hoping to have sealed qualification by the time of her 23rd birthday on July 12, thirteen days before the July 23 deadline.

Five days ago she got within 29 microseconds of the qualification standard (2:01.00) at the Belfort Montbeliard meeting in France.

At the same meeting Chebet clocked 4:12.70 which is more than five seconds outside the qualifying mark.

Last week Uganda Athletics Federation spokesman, Namayo Mawerere, was optimistic that more Ugandan athletes will hit the qualifying marks before the door slams shut on July 23.

"There are six weeks until July 23, the point here is for athletes to intensify work and try to hit the qualifying standards. I am sure we can get in more people," Mawerere said early last week.

Team Uganda has also seen an increase in the number of female qualifiers for the Worlds, which stands at five. The anticipated qualification of Nanyondo, Ajok and Chebet will bring this number to eight.

Juliet Chekwel was a lone ranger at the last World Championships (Beijing 2015) in a Uganda team which had ten men.

Uganda returned home with one medal; a marathon bronze won by Mutai when he came in third with a time of 2:13:29 - beaten to silver with 22 seconds by Yemane Tsegay of Ethiopia. Eriteria's Ghirmany Ghebreslassie (2:12:27) took gold.

Qualified athletes

Women

Peruth Chemutai (steeplechase)

Stella Chesang, Mercyline Chelangat (5000m)

Mercyline Chelangat, Juliet Chekwel (10,000m)

Adero Nyakisi (marathon)

Men

Ronald Musagala (1500m)

Jacob Kiplimo, Stephen Kissa (5000m)

Joshua Cheptegei (5000m and 10,000m)

Timothy Toroitich (10000m)

Jacob Araptany, Albert Sikowo (steeplechase)

Stephen Kiprotich, Robert Chemonges, Solomon Mutai (marathon)

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