Nanyondo and Nakaayi looking for podium finish in 800m

Sep 29, 2019

Winnie Nanyondo and Halimah Nakaayi will be the stars in the spotlight when the starter’s gun sounds in the women’s 800 meter final.

 
Monday
6:20pm: Women's 400m
 
Heats -Shida Leni
9:20pm: Men's 5000m Final-
 
Stephen Kissa and Oscar Chelimo
9:50pm: Women's 3000m
 
Steeplechase- Final
10:10pm: Women's 800m- Final
 
Uganda will on Monday have a rare opportunity of a podium finish at the Doha World Championship.
 
Winnie Nanyondo and Halimah Nakaayi will be the stars in the spotlight when the starter's gun sounds in the women's 800 meter final.
 
It's the first time in recent years that Uganda is a medal favourite in an event away from the long-distance races.
 
Save for quarter-miler Davis Kamoga's silver at the 1997 edition in Athens, Uganda has been more in the news for long-distance accomplishments.
 
The Ugandans' surge to prominence is partly a result of athletics governing body IAAF's new rule locking out women with high levels of testosterone.
 
South Africa's Caster Semenya, Wambui Nyairera (Kenya) and Francine Niyonsaba (Burundi) have for long dominated the two lap race but were locked out of Doha by the new IAAF regulation.
 
With the trio out, Nakaayi and Nanyondo were thrust into the spotlight and there are signs that they could be making history Monday night.
 
Kamoga gave Uganda her first world championship medal-a silver in 1997. That is, however, by all measures a long time ago.
 

 Uganda's Halimah Nakaayi (C) reacts after the Women's 800m semi-final at the 2019 IAAF World Athletics Championships at the Khalifa International stadium in Doha 

The closest to a sprints medal Uganda has recently got on the global stage was through Dorcus Inzikuru's 3000m steeplechase gold at the 2005 edition in Helsinki.
 
Uganda's medal presence has lately been in the long distances with names likes Joshua Cheptegei, Jacob Kiplimo and Moses Kipsiro.
 
Nakaayi and Nanyondo are, however, showing all signs of writing a new chapter.
 
On Friday, they raced to the final in style with Nakaayi winning her semi-final while Nanyondo finished second.
 
But before the Ugandans think of medal they will have some serious tactical issues to resolve.
 
Both runners have the weakness of being locked in the inside lane in the final lap.
 
Nanyondo even got injured as she battled with heat winner Raevyn Rogers for space.
 
Nakaayi, on the other hand, managed to free herself and win but only after a bout of shoves and pushing. Matters are not helped by the Ugandans' smaller size compared to their bigger opponents.
 
Coach Nalis Bigingo says with the Ugandans' strong finishing power, it is not too late to rectify the weakness.
 
"They don't have to overstay in the inside lane. They should either run in the outer lane or run in the inside then move out when it is still possible to say with about 300m left."
 
Bigingo describes the 800m as a very tactical race where one should run wisely and avoid being boxed in. "When you are locked in you lose crucial seconds and energy struggling to get out."
 
Americans Rogers, Ajee Wilson, and Ce ‘Aira Brown together with Kenya's Jepkoech Sum are the people the Ugandans will have to watch.
 

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