Nanyondo through to semis
Tonight, Nanyondo will attempt to make her first major championship final and keep hopes alive for Uganda’s first track medal at these Games.
What you need to know:
Bomber Nasir Bashir and badminton player Edwin Ekiring eliminated after falling short of pulling off upsets against superior opponents as runner Chebet sets national record.
In Scotland
RESULTS
Women’s 800m Heat 2
Jessica Smith (Canada) 2:05.22
Winnie Nanyondo (Uganda) 2:05.29
Janeth Jepkosgei (Kenya) 2:05.37
10,000m final
1. Joyce Chepkurui (Kenya) 32:09.35
2. Florence Kiplagat (Kenya) 32:09.35
3. Emily Chebet (Kenya) 32:10.82
4. Avery Kate (England) 32:33.85
5. Beth Potter (Scotland) 32:33.36
6. Linet Chebet (Uganda) 32:41.95
7. Sonia Samuels (England) 32:57.96
8. Vanis Chemutai (Uganda) 33:11.98
400m semis (Heat 2)
1. James Kirani (Grenada) 45.14
2. Van Niekerk (S. Africa) 45.41
3. Renny Quow (T. Tobago) 45.47
8. Emmanuel Tugumisirize (Uganda) 46.57
TODAY’S EVENTS
800m women’s semis, 8:35pm
800m men’s final, 9:15pm
200m women’s final, 10:35pm
200m men’s final, 11:10pm
FRIDAY
4x400m relays (m) round 1, 8:21pm
Men’s 10,00m final, 10:05pm
Women’s 800m finals, 10:45pm
Men’s 4x100m relays heats, 11:35pm
GLASGOW
There are many distractions that can affect an athlete’s performance at such competitions. How an individual deals with them is what matters.
Team Uganda’s athletics camp has had to deal with several issues, some of them very sad in the build-up to the Commonwealth Games. From the initial axing of Moses Kipsiro from the team, which was later reversed after the intervention of Uganda Olympic Committee to the athletes’ complaints about head coach Okot Omony’s working methods; things were never right from the start.
Controversy has followed the athletics team to Glasgow after it emerged that national champion Denis Opio’s name was never entered in the 400m heats held Monday. Opio’s omission which some have said was intentional because he had an altercation with a top athletics federation official, has in a way affected morale in the camp. But Winnie Nanyondo, Opio’s training partner, has good counsel for her teammates. “Whether things are right or wrong, the best thing is to ignore them and focus on the job since we are already here,” the 800m national record holder said.
Nanyondo came here in fearsome shape after running an impressive 1:58.63 for third position at the Monaco Diamond League two weeks ago, beating former world champion Janeth Jepkosgei of Kenya to fourth. Yesterday, Nanyondo made her Commonwealth Games debut, finishing second with 2:05.29 in Heat 2 of the women’s 800m first round.
The Kenyan trailed Nanyondo again, taking third in 2:05.37 with Canadian Jessica Smith (2:05.25) clinching top position.
Uganda’s medal prospects thinned yesterday after bantamweight (56kg) boxer Nasir Bashir fell just short of upsetting 2012 Olympic Games bronze medalist Michael Conlan of Ireland. Bashir fought bravely but the Irishman did enough to sail through to the semifinals.
Just like Bashir, Uganda’s badminton top seed Edwin Ekiring put up a gallant fight but got eliminated from the men’s singles at the hands of tournament seed five Jahah Manuri Venkata from India in straight sets 21-13, 21-11.
