Nakaayi wants to go finer, Chekwemoi wants Paris ticket

Normally, the Wanda Diamond League (DL) season starts with the Doha leg in Qatar in early May.

The introduction of the Xiamen leg to add to the Shanghai meeting in China last month means the DL season is stretched out a little early already.

On Friday, the Doha leg at Qatar Sports Club has two entries from Uganda; Halimah Nakaayi over the 800m and youngster Loice Chekwemoi in the women’s 5000m.

The pair has contrasting targets though. Middle-distance runner Nakaayi is aiming to polish up with the Paris Olympics in sight.

Nakaayi already won the silver medal with an outdoor season best time of one minute and 58.59 seconds over the two-lap race during the African Games in Accra, Ghana early this year.

The 2019 world champion will race in her fourth race outdoors against a competitive field of 11 ladies. Four of the women in the field have run faster than Nakaayi and it will be the benchmark for her.

The fastest in the field is experienced Jamaican Natoya Goule-Toppin at 1:55.96 but reigning world champion Kenyan Mary Moraa who has lifetime best of 1:56.03.

In 15 races, Moraa has finished ahead 14 times, Nakaayi only finishing ahead once - at the 2021 Allianz Memorial Van Damme in Brussels, Belgium. Great Britain’s Jemma Reekie is also in the fray.

In the women’s 5000m, Chekwemoi, who impressed in the cross-country season with third place at the National Championships and ninth place during the World Cross-country in Serbia, must run under 14:52.00 to get an Olympics ticket.

Uganda has three quota placings for the women’s 5000m event and already, Sarah Chelangat and Joy Cheptoyek have qualified.

Chekwemoi will be pushed for a fast personal best (PB) over the 12-and-a-half-lap race by a field comprising 2022 DL champion Kenyan Beatrice Chebet, who is the fastest in the field with a PB of 14:05.92.

UGANDANS IN ACTION - FRIDAY

IN QATAR: DOHA DIAMOND LEAGUE

7pm: Halimah Nakaayi (Women’s 800m), Loice Chekwemoi (Women’s 5000m)