Nanyondo, Kiplimo in Ostrava for Golden Spike Meet

Two Ugandans Winnie Nanyondo and Jacob Kiplimo will feature at the 59th Ostrava Golden Spike in Czech Republic tomorrow following the government’s clearance.
“Uganda government has cleared two athletes Nanyondo and Kiplimo to travel to Ostrava for international competition,” reads part of Uganda Athletics Federation’s brief.
Travel restrictions particularly in African countries in a bid to stop the spread of the coronavirus pandemic are hindering several athletes from leaving featuring in competitions abroad.

“It was not easy to organise the travel despite authorisations, but we did it,” said Beppe Picotti, one of Kiplimo’s Italian managers.
The duo departed via Entebbe airport on Saturday evening and were expected to be in Ostrava by last night.
This is the second time that Nanyondo has been granted permission out of the country during the pandemic.
She first travelled with Joshua Cheptegei, Stephen Kissa and Halimah Nakaayi for the Monaco Diamond League in France last month. Nanyondo finished eighth in a time of 2mins, 36.54 secs in the 1000m race.
In Ostrava, she will run the 1500m event at the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting.

This will be her first outdoor race over the distance having run four 1500m indoor races at the start of the year.
Yet, World Cross-country silver medalist Kiplimo will feature in the 5000m event and this will be his first race since finishing second at the 95th San Silvestre de Sao Paulo Road Race in Brazil on New Year’s Eve.
However, this will be the teenager’s first track event in over two years. The 19-year-old last ran on track when he finished sixth in 13mins, 23.35secs in the 5000m final at the World Junior Championships in Tampere, Finland, on July 14, 2018.
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