Steeplechaser Chemutai eyes Wanda DL trophy

Peruth Chemutai! Yes, her name is well encrypted in history whereas many have inevitably moved on from her in the aftermath of the Tokyo Olympics.

She became Uganda’s first-ever female Olympic champion when she stunned the globe to the 3000m steeplechase title in the Japanese capital on August 4.

Her peers concur that humble Chemutai is just getting accustomed to that status. It is good that success doesn’t carry her off the ground, but she must now compete with pride at stake when she lines up for the water-jump race at the Weltklasse event in the Swiss city of Zurich tonight.

The race is part of the event which wraps up the year’s Wanda Diamond League (DL) season. Chemutai is among the 25 Olympic champions entered to compete at the Letzigrund Stadium.

There is a prestigious Diamond League trophy and prize money of $30,000 (Shs106m) for each event winner, which is  good motivation for the 22-year-old.

For more motivation, every competition winner across track and field will earn a wildcard to next July’s World Athletics Championships in Eugene, USA.

Chemutai will be seeking to become the second Ugandan to ever win the prestigious DL trophy after Joshua Cheptegei won the 5000m final two years ago. But, her coach Addy Ruiter is not raising his hopes though. “I don’t have expectations about her race,” the Dutchman said.

“We have to give her some time to get used to her new status as Olympic Champion and with all the attention that is coming her way,” he added.

However, having won in Tokyo with a fast 9:01.45, Chemutai stands a chance in the 11-lady field that includes American Courtney Frerichs and Kenyan Hyvin Kiyeng who took silver and bronze behind her in Tokyo.

But two-time European champion German Gesa Felicitas Krause is feeling at home in Zurich having set a national record here two years ago. Krause was fifth in Tokyo, behind young Ethiopian Mekides Abebe who is also entered here.

To beat these familiar foes, Chemutai will need to wade off pressure and execute poetry over the barriers like in Tokyo, something she didn’t do well due to pace making enroute to finishing seventh at the Eugene DL on August 21.

Meanwhile, world 800m champion Halimah Nakaayi will also need to finish the season strongly in the two-lap event where is currently ranked 13th globally.

Nakaayi dipped under two minutes with 1:59.55 for a fourth time in eight races this year but she finished a distant seventh at the Brussels DL in Belgium last week.

To beat the in-form field comprising Jamaican Natoya Goule, American Grace Kate, Australian Catriona Bisset, Ethiopian Habitam Alemu and British pairing of Jemma Reekie and Keely Hodgkinson, Nakaayi will need to produce her best race of the year.

“The race in Brussels was tactically not her best race,” said Ruiter. “In Zurich, there are almost the same runners. It will be important to have a better position after 200m and then a top three place is possible.”

Then, Winnie Nanyondo will this time hope to do better over the 1500m when she faces Olympic champion Kenyan Faith Kipyegon and her foe Dutch Sifan Hassan, a 5000m Olympic queen.

Nanyondo, who has been the most consistent Ugandan on the DL circuit with seven races, has dipped under four minutes just once over the 1500m this season. She will need to do even better tonight!

Zurich dL meeting

Event Name: Weltklasse
Venue: Letzigrund Stadium
City: Zurich, Switzerland
Established: 1928
Ugandans in Action: 
Halimah Nakaayi (800m)
 Winnie Nanyondo (1500m)
 Peruth Chemutai 
(3000m Steeplechase)

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