In pursuit of Guangzhou goals...

The World Athletics Relays stage rarely comes by for a Ugandan sprinter. In fact, only eight athletes have enjoyed the privilege of competing at this stage since the championship’s inception in 2014.

The country is set for a third appearance when the quartet of Shida Leni, Maureen Banura, Haron Adoli and Godfrey Chanwengo compete in the mixed 4x400-metre Heats at the seventh World Relays at the Guangdong Olympic Stadium in Guangzhou, China today.

“We were known for sprinting as a country in early years but can make a comeback. Giving the athletes such opportunities is one of the ways,” said Uganda Athletics Federation (UAF) general secretary Beatrice Ayikoru.

Middle-distance runner Halimah Nakaayi was expected to be a part of the team but she pulled out, despite spending a fortnight in China while competing over the Wanda Diamond League legs of Xiamen and Shanghai.

Regardless, Leni, Banura, Adoli and Chanwengo are bidding to script their own chapters of history. Uganda has returned the baton last in its last two appearances; ninth in the men’s 4x800m final at the Nassau 2014 show in Bahamas and sixth in women’s 4x400m Heat 1 during the Yokohama 2019 edition in Japan.

Leni, 30, raced a leg in Yokohama and the ambitions on return to Asia are bigger. “We learned a lot from it and later helped us to break the national record,” Leni memoired the Yokohama trip.

“For this particular one, it’s a mixed and our first appearance on the global stage as Team Uganda so with the preparation we’ve had, we are fine to do best from it,” she said.

Despite Uganda carrying the slowest personal best amongst 18 teams of three minutes and 17.76 seconds, the sub-plots therein are pushing the team.

“The first goal is qualifying for World Athletics Championships as a team in September 2025 and later qualify individually for 400 metres flat,” an ambitious Adoli said.

Uganda needs to finish among the top 14 teams in the event to seal a ticket to Tokyo World Championships due September in Japan via the relays.

“Another goal is to be in the relay final and you know anything can happen in the finals,” added Adoli, who has battled a spate of injuries since finishing fifth in the 400-metre final at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games in England.

Key to relays is not individual abilities but rather the chemistry and more importantly, the exchange of the baton in the right zones on track.

The quartet had a week of practice in the company of coach Moses Asonya at Namboole before flying out of the country this week. 

Leni in particular is counting her chances after improving her 800-metre personal best by over a second at the fifth National Trials in Namboole on April 26.

She had earlier also improved her own national record over the lap distance to 51.47 seconds in Kenyan capital Nairobi.

“It (Guangzhou) will help me and the team to qualify for Tokyo World Championships and help me prepare for my individual races to come in Europe,” she stated.

The championship has attracted sprint superstars like Americans Kennya Bednarek, Nigeria’s 100-metre hurdler Tobi Amusan, South Africa’s Akani Simbine and his fast-rising compatriot Bayanda Walaza, Kenya’s 800-metre ace Mary Moraa among other Olympic and global stars.

WORLD ATHLETICS RELAY CHAMPIONSHIPS

UGANDANS IN ACTION - SATURDAY

2.22pm: Mixed 4×400m Relay Heats

TOMORROW

2.13pm: Mixed 4×400m Relay Repechage Round

4.03pm: Mixed 4×400m Relay Final

 TEAM UGANDA IN GUANGZHOU

Athletes: Haron Adoli, Shida Leni, Godfrey Chan Wengo & Maureen Banura

Official: Moses Asonya (Coach)

UGANDA AT THE WORLD RELAYS

Nassau 2014: Men’s 4X800m Relay Final - Peter Agaba, Julius Mutekanga, Peter Okwera, Geoffrey Lukwiya Akena (9th, 7:53.34)

Yokohama 2019: Women’s 4X400m Relay Heat 1 - Emily Nanziri, Stella Wonruku, Scovia Ayikoru, Leni Shida (6th, 3:35.02)