Nine Ugandan athletes hit African Games’ grade at National Champs

There is a general consensus that Uganda could reap bigger than usual at the forthcoming African Games and Doha World Athletics Championships following an increment in qualified athletes.
 
By the time the National Track & Field Championships were done at Namboole Stadium on Saturday, a total 51 athletes had hit the grade for African Games due August 19-31 in Morocco.
 
At the two-day event, the climax for the athletics season on the local scene, nine athletes met the qualification marks to secure tickets to north Africa.
 
The best performer was sprinter Shida Leni who produced two national records (NR) as she bagged the 200m and 400m women’s titles.
 
First on Friday, the 25-year-old rewrote her own NR over the one lap for the third time this year by posting a time of 51.47 seconds. It is also the seventh time she has a new NR time in 15 months.


 
“It was fine though tough, I am happy,” Leni said. She has already qualified for the Doha Worlds who standard is 51.80.
 
Whereas some thought she was done, Leni stunned the small audience in Namboole on Saturday to win the 200m with a NR of 23.43 seconds.
 
In the process, she had erased the previous mark of 23.46 set by Justine Bayigga bck on February 24, 2007 in Khartoum, Sudan.
 
Retired Bayigga, now an official with Uganda Athletics Federation, hugged Leni at the finish-line shortly after the announcement.
 
Leni qualified for the African Games and so did runner-up Stella Wonruku who also beat the qualification mark of 24.24 with 24.10.
 
Similarly, in the men’s 200m final, race winner Benson Okot was well under the qualification time of 21.24 seconds after posting 20.95.
 
Earlier on Friday, Halima Nakaayi hit the Games’ qualification mark of 54.77 seconds after posting 54.48 in the 400m. Her training partner Abu Mayanja posted 1.46.76 in Heat 2 of the 800m to beat the 1.47.30 and book a ticket to Morocco.
 
Also, Viola Chemos, Emily Chebet, Doreen Chemutai and Rebecca Cheptegei beat the 36.20.00 grade in the women’s 10000m won by Rachael Zena Chebet.
 

 

National track & field champs

Selected results

WOMEN

200M
1 Shida Shida (Police) 23.43
2 Jacent Nyamahunge (UAFA) 23.66
3 Stella Wonruku (Prisons) 24.10

400M
1 Shida Leni (Police) 51.47
2 Stella Wonruku (Prisons) 52.86
3 Nasiba Nabirye (UWA) 53.62
 
800M
1 Halimah Nakaayi (UWA) 2:05.40
2 Nasiba Nabirye (UWA) 2:08.20
3 Francine Niyomukunzi (Burundi) 2:09.24

1500M
1 Sarah Chelangat (UWA) 4:18.77
2 Francine Niyumukunzi (Burundi) 4:19.90
3 Marvalous Orishaba (Kabale) 4:29.90

5000M
1 Rachael Zena Chebet (KCCA) 15:49.03
2 Patricia Chekwemoi (Police) 16:05.56
3 Annet Chesang (UWA) 16:22.79

10000M
1 Rachael Zena Chebet (KCCA) 32:42.36
2 Viola Chemos (Arua) 34:36.12
3 Emilly Chebet (UPDF) 34:36.17

SHOT PUT
1 Mercy Laker (Police) 11.88m
2 Caroline Aber (Prisons) 11.82m
3 Janneth Acan (Police) 11.00m

JAVELIN
1 Josephine Lalam (Police) 53.20m
2 Lucy Aber (Police) 50.00m
3 Victoria Awidi (UPDF) 48.76m
 
MEN

100M
1 Peter Mwai (Kenya) 10.42
2 Solomon Obuto (UWA) 10.50
3 Pius Adome (Police) 10.54

800M
1 Tom Dradiga (UCU) 1:49.21
2 Emmanuel Osuje (Police) 1:50.00
3 Geoffrey Rutto (Prisons) 1:51.07

3000M STEEPLECHASE
1 Benjamin Kiplagat (UWA) 8:37.8
2 Ezekiel Mutai (Arua) 8:52.3
3 David Bushendich (UPDF) 8:53.7

5000M
1 Rodrigues Kwizera (Burundi) 13:42.53
2 Kevin Kibet (Standard) 13:42.98
3 Moses Kurong (Police) 13:45.25

10000M
1 Timothy Toroitich (UWA) 28:23.76
2 Thomas Ayeko (KCCA) 28:31.82
3 Abel Chebet (Police) 28:35.27

LONG JUMP
1 Moses Komakech (Sprinters Sports) 7.16m
2 Denish Odongo (UCU) 7.10m
3 Williamson Oroma (Police) 7.01m

TRIPLE JUMP
1 Isaac Kirwa (Kenya) 15.34m
2 Denish Odongo (UCU) 15.29m
3 Richard Nixon Tabu (Prisons) 14.74m

DISCUS
1 Anthony Tukamwebwa (Sprinter Sports) 41.04m
2 Baya Odong (Police) 40.80m
3 Jacob Wokorach (Police) 37.43m
 
This writer is a global broadcaster and as well scribe with Daily Monitor Newspaper and sports presenter with Radio One FM 90 in Kampala. Follow him on Twitter: @AllanDarren and his Facebook Page: Darren Allan Kyeyune
 


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