800m final: Nanyondo, Nakaayi in prayers

DOHA. For a moment, Halimah Nakaayi feared she had been disqualified moments after she delivered a powerful finish to win semi-final Heat 3 on Day Two of the IAAF World Athletics Championships in the Qatari capital.

The Ugandan had pushed for space in the first lane behind Kenyan Eunice Sum, her arm hitting Jamaican Nataya Goule’s waist who almost tripped.

“The race was tactical,” Nakaayi told Daily Monitor after posting a season best (SB) time of one minute and 59.35 seconds.

“There was a lot of pushing, so even me, I tried to defend myself. I had to keep my mind strong to make it to the final. I had to be smart and utilise any gap I would get,” she said.
The strong finish implies Nakaayi joined Winnie Nanyondo and the friends-turned-sisters will run the women’s 800m final at the Khalifa Stadium tonight.

“I came here with a plan to do the middle-distance double and I’m glad to be in the 800m final,” said Nanyondo who finished second behind American Raevyn Rogers in 1:59.75 after semi-final Heat 1.

“I’m now settled, my body is okay and focused on the final,” added the 2014 Commonwealth bronze medallist. The line-up for the two-lap distance final will surprise many as 2017 World champion South African Caster Semenya, Burundian Francine Niyonsaba, Kenyan Margaret Wambui among others are side-lined after IAAF’s new medical regulation that forces XY DSD women to lower their level of natural testosterone.

Pair
Uganda will now have a pair in a middle-distance final at the Worlds for the first time, up against three Americans Wilson Ajee, Rogers and Ce’Aira Brown, Jamaican Goule, 2013 World champion Kenyan Sum and Moroccan Rabade Arafi.

“Uganda is privileged and it is a good opportunity to have both of us in the final. A medal is possible, whoever will get a medal or both of us, we shall celebrate,” said Nakaayi, who picked bronze at the African Games in Morocco last month.

“I expect more than what you’ve seen in the Heats, I have been preparing for these competitions. My body is in good shape and Insha Allah, anything can happen,” added Nakaayi.

Having been boxed in and then respectively spiked on the right thighs by Ajee and Sum in the semis, Nanyondo and Nakaayi will have to be tactically aware as the Americans and Sum are bigger in size.

“I want a medal, it will definitely be fast,” stated Goule who won the Pan American Games’ title in Peru.