Nakaayi, Leni fancy growth in distance

With UAF operating a new electronic timer with an automated false start system, Nakaayi of Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) Athletics Club comfortably breezed through the 1500-metre distance in a winning time of four minutes and 21.25 seconds.

However, Nakaayi is commonly known for the 800-metre distance, where she powered to the world title during 2019 World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar.

“It has been fun. The race has been good, running with the upcoming athletes,” said Nakaayi after coasting clear of Zumurah Chebet of Tororo and Evas Nasasira of Evzin.

“I am here to make them believe that they can become champions. To be in Namboole with a new tartan, this is super nice.”

For more than a decade, Nakaayi has been a regular competitor over the two-lap distance. After training with Dutch superstar Olympic marathon champion Sifan Hassan in Utah, USA and now in the company of three-time reigning 1500-metre Olympic champion Kenyan Faith Kipyegon, Nakaayi is graduating in distance.

“I’m feeling good. I was running just very relaxed, very relaxed, not forcing the body. This season, I have to keep on challenging myself to do something longer. I strongly believe it will help me to improve on my 800m.

“Speed to me is not a problem, but endurance has been challenging a bit. So, I think with time even you will see me in the 5000 metres. Of course I’ll come back home for speed work. Yeah, home is home,” added Nakaayi.

She is currently training under the coach Patrick Sang, who has modeled the talents in Eliud Kipchoge, Kipyegon and Geoffrey Kamworor.

“So every day I keep on challenging myself because the coach doesn’t limit my training because of the distance. It’s tough but at the end of the day, it’s fun,” noted Nakaayi, who missed making the 800-metre final at the Paris Olympics in France last year.

“I am aiming to be a better version. I’m aiming to be on the podium, yeah, like the way other champions do it.” Nakaayi’s friends Hassan and Kipyegon have since grown from the 1500-metre to both running the 5000 metres and the former also competes over the 10000 metres and marathon.

Like Nakaayi, Police’s Shida Leni who is known for the 400-metre distance, ran the 800-metre distance on Saturday, finishing second in a personal best (PB) mark of 2:07.07 behind Maureen Chebet on Kween.

“Shida is fundamentally a 400/200m runner. She is weak over distance, hence the logic of moving her up today to 800m. And she delivered big time! She will return to 400m later in the season,” said her coach Kevin O’Connor in a statement.

2025 UAF 1ST TRIALS

SELECTED RESULTS

WOMEN’S 100M

1 Bridget Mbwali (UCU)       11.96

2 Evaline Ocen (Prisons)         12.31

3 Brenda Asinduru (Terego)   12.86

WOMEN’S 800M

1 Maureen Chebet (Kween)    2:05.19

2 Shida Leni (Police)              2:07.07

3 Sarah Khafu (Prisons)          2:14.27

WOMEN’S 1500M

1 Halimah Naakayi (UWA)    4:21.25

2 Zumurah Chebet (Tororo)    4:40.09

3 Evas Nasasira (Evzin)          4:47.94

WOMEN’S SHOT PUT

1 Catherine Alanyo (Prisons) 10.33 metres

2 Prisca Anena (Gombe SSS) 9.95m

3 Rose Mary Aciro (Prisons)   9.42m

WOMEN’S LONG JUMP

1 Winnifred Atimango (UCU) 5.89 metres

2 Gladys Alobo (Prisons)         5.52m

3 Scovia Lakot (Prisons)          5.25m

MEN’S 100M

1 Meshack Babu (Kenya)       10.35

2 Emmanuel Aboda (Prisons) 10.63

3 Dan Kiviasi (Kenya)            10.70

MEN’S 400M

1 Wiseman Mukhobe (Kenya) 47.04

2 Godfrey Wengo (Ndejje)      47.36

3 Kenneth Omuka (Makerere) 47.78

MEN’S 800M

1 Ezekiel Chemos (Police)      1:48.89

2 Kokas Erimu (Prisons)         1:49.32

3 Samuel Ogwal (Prisons)       1:50.78

MEN’S 5000M

1 Jacob Chol (South Sudan)   14:22.5

2 Brian Ategeka (Evzin)         14:56.4

3 Felix Ayiko (Airforce SS)    15:05.4