Orogot eyes historic 200m final

BUDAPEST, HUNGARY. Sprinter Tarsis Orogot for a moment had his heart in his palms. He had posted 20.44 seconds in lane 5 of Heat 5 of the men’s 200m at the Budapest World Athletics Championships on Wednesday.

By finishing outside the top three automatic qualifying places, he waited for about 20 minutes until the end of the Heats because he was confirmed as the third of the three fastest three across all seven races.

“Honestly, I just wanted to go home. I was tired of being there,” Orogot reacted in the mixed zone after his wait. He finished behind winner Japan’s Towa Uzawa, American Courtney Lindsey and Jamaican Rasheed Dwyer.  

“It was a good race. I have had a long season. I was just coming out to complete a long season. This is my 23rd 200m of the season. It’s just about going and finishing the season strong. There’s not so much the body can do.”

Orogot will return to the National Athletics Centre track this evening with a desire to secure a lane in the final due Friday.

He is entered for lane 3 and the University of Alabama student must finish amongst the top two in semi-final Heat 1 which has reigning champion American Noah Lyles.

Only Lyles, Dominican Republic’s Alexander Ogando and Orogot have posted under 20 seconds over the half-a-lap distance this season amongst this eight-man line-up. Last year, Orogot stopped in the semis, finishing fifth in Heat 2 at the Oregon Worlds in the USA.

And now, he is hoping to become the only second Ugandan to reach a sprint final in the Worlds’ history after Davis Kamoga won silver at the Athens 1997 edition in Greece.

“On (Friday), it’s just to give my best and probably make the final. That’s the goal,” Orogot added.

Earlier, 2019 champion Halimah Nakaayi advanced to the semifinals of the women’s 800m after winning Heat 4 comfortably in a time of 1:59.68.

Nakaayi hit the front early, crossing the 200m mark in 27.85 seconds and through the halfway point in 58.81 seconds. “I thank God; it has been a good race. I am really happy to have advanced to the semifinals,” she said.

BUDAPEST WORLD ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

TEAM UGANDA RESULTS - DAY FIVE

MEN’S 200M HEAT 5

1 Towa Uzawa (JPN)                          20.34

2 Courtney Lindsey (USA)                20.39

3 Rasheed Dwyer (JAM)                    20.40

4 Tarsis Orogot (UGA)                     20.44

WOMEN’S 800M HEAT 4

1 Halimah Nakaayi (UGA)              1:59.68

2 Adelle Tracey (JAM)                       1:59.82

3 Rénelle Lamote (FRA)                    2:00.22

DAY FOUR RESULTS

MEN’S 3000M STEEPLECHASE FINAL

1 Soufiane El Bakkali (MAR)            8:03.53

2 Lamecha Girma (ETH)                    8:05.44

3 Abraham Kibiwot (KEN)                8:11.98

12 Leonard Chemutai (UGA)          8:21.61

MEN’S 800M HEAT 2

1 Mateusz Borkowski (POL)              1:45.40

2 Max Burgin (GBR)                          1:45.43

3 Joseph Deng (AUS)                         1:45.48

8 Tom Dradriga (UGA)                    1:48.60