Nanyondo in spotlight again at Nanjing World Challenge

Uganda’s Pride. Winnie Nanyondo (R)is in the spotlight having broken the national record (NR) by finishing third after posting a time of 4:01.39 at Shanghai. AFP Photo

What you need to know:

  • Need to qualify. Nakaayi, who ran a NR of 1:58.39 at the Nancy Meeting in France on June 27, 2018, must complete the two-lap race below 2:00.60.
  • Athletics. Nanyondo’s new personal best, was good enough to see her beat the qualification standard for the Doha World Championships due September 27 - October 6.

KAMPALA. Unlike Joshua Cheptegei, Peruth Chemutai and Stephen Kissa, Ugandan middle-distance runners Winnie Nanyondo and Esther Chebet have had a prolonged stay in China.

Having participated in the 1500m at the Shanghai Diamond League Meet on Saturday, the duo switched and moved west for the Nanjing World Challenge scheduled for today.

Nanyondo is now in the spotlight again having broken the national record (NR) by finishing third after posting a time of 4:01.39 at Shanghai.

That time, also her new personal best, was good enough to see her beat the qualification standard of 4:06.05 for the Doha World Championships due September 27 - October 6.

 “My plan is to lower that time (again) before the World Championships,” Nanyondo told Daily Monitor yesterday.
 “Big national record and there is more to come,” her manager Jurrie van der Velden stated.

 The 25-year-old hopes to use the same race notes again in Nanjing. “To stay with the group,” she remarked.  However, her counterpart Chebet has still has a task of running below the Doha mark. She posted 4:07.75 in a distant 12th place in Shanghai.
Besides this pair, Nanyondo’s training partner Halima Nakaayi will begin her quest for an 800m ticket to Doha in Nanjing.

 Nakaayi, who ran a NR of 1:58.39 at the Nancy Meeting in France on June 27, 2018, must complete the two-lap race below 2:00.60.
 “I am targeting a better performance than ever this year,” said the 24-year-old who graduated from 400m last year.

 “The weather here is fine and of course, I am ready,” Nakaayi told this paper yesterday. She won seven of her 15 races over 800m in 2018.

Abel Sikowo must also run below 8:29.00 in the men’s 3000m steeplechase to qualify for Doha.

NANJING WORLD CHALLENGE

UGANDANS IN ACTION
Women’s 800m: Halima Nakaayi
Women’s 1500m: Winnie Nanyondo,
Esther Chebet
Men’s Steeplechase: Abel Sikowo