Nakaayi, Nanyondo out for records in Monaco

Halimah Nakaayi and her Dutch management Global Sports Communication (GSC) feel that the middle-distance runner is progressing steadily ahead of the Tokyo Olympics which start in a fortnight.

The world 800m champion wasn’t in her best state when she travelled to GSC camp in Nijmegen early last month. But with a healed niggle, an added intensity in her training regime is yielding results. Nakaayi posted 2:02.52 in sixth place at the FBK Hengelo Games on June 6, improved to 2:00.62 in second at the Meeting National in Lyon, France on June 19.

And eight days ago, the 26-year-old broke the two-minute barrier over the 800m distance with 1:58.70 behind winner American Grace Kate at the Bislett Games in Oslo, Norway. Nakaayi is now eyeing a race victory when she lines-up against a very strong field at the Monaco DL Meeting in France tonight.

“Of course, I am targeting better and better,” she told this paper before landing in Monaco on Tuesday.
“My target is to improve on my personal best (PB) and also to win the race,” Nakaayi said. That is pretty confident of her, know why?

National record
Her PB is 1:58.04 which is also the national record (NR) she posted as she won the 800m final for the world title in Doha, Qatar two years ago.
By producing a sub-1:57 at the Stade Louis II in Monaco tonight, Nakaayi will head to the Olympics in her best shape ever. And that’s before imagining that only eight women have dipped under 1:58.00 this year. 

Nakaayi faces three of them in Monaco; Cuban Rose Mary Almanza who won at the Stockholm DL Meet in Sweden last Saturday in 1:56.28, the second fastest time globally this year. Jamaican Natoya Goule came second in 1:56.44. Kate also posted 1:57.36 in third.

Good test again
“Much stronger field. Good test again,” said Nakaayi’s coach Addy Ruiter. “All the best girls of the world are in this race, except the girls from the USA. Position is also important in this race,” he added. Nakaayi also faces strong British pair Laura Muir and Jemme Reekie as well as Australian Catriona Bisset and Africa senior bronze medallist Ethiopian Habitam Alemu.

Meanwhile, Nakaayi’s counterpart Winnie Nanyondo is also eyeing a new PB and NR over the 1500m. This, after posting a season best of 2:00.95 in third over the 800m at the Nancy Meeting in France on Monday.

Fifth place
“Season best is not bad but I was expecting faster than that,” she said. “Yes, Monaco I want to run a PB,” added Nanyondo whose best time this year over 1500m is 4:00.84 in fifth place at the Rome DL in Italy on June 10.

However, her PB over the 1500m is 3:59.56 which is also the NR, set back at the Rabat DL in Morocco in 2019.

The Europe-based Nanyondo will be pushed by the fast 14-man field that has world champion Dutch Sifan Hassan and Olympic champion Kenyan Faith Kipyegon.

Kipyegon is eyeing revenge having finished second behind in-form Hassan in Rome last month. 

Monaco Diamond League

Event Name: Herculis
Venue: Stade Louis II
City: Fontvieille, Monaco, France
Established: 1987
Ugandan in Action: Halimah Nakaayi (800m), Winnie Nanyondo (1500m)
Time: LIVE on SS 228, 9PM

ATHLETES COMPARISONS

NAKAAYI IN 2021
Jul 1: Bislett Games (800m 2nd, 1:58.70)
June 19: Meeting Lyonnais (800m 2nd,
2:00.62)
June 6: FBK Games (800m 6th, 2:02.52)

NANYONDO IN 2021
Jul 5: Meeting Nancy (800m 3rd, 2:00.95)
Jun 13: La Nucia (1500m 1st, 4:27.54)
Jun 10: Rome DL (1500m 5th, 4:00.84)
May 28: Doha DL (800m 6th, 2:01.76)
May 23: Gateshead DL (1500m 7th, 4:10.50)
May 19: Ostrava Spike (1500m 7th, 4:08.44)

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