Uganda’s senior middle-distance athlete Winnie Nanyondo has yet to progress to the Women’s 1500m semi-finals at the World Athletics Championships on August 19 in Budapest, Hungary.
Nanyondo finished in a distant twelfth position posting 4:10.55 in heat four as the usual names in the distance made it.
World Record holders Faith Kipyegon, Sifan Hassan, Nelly Chepchirchir and Hirut Meshesha easily sailed to the semi-finals, comfortably taking control of their heats.
Dutch star Hassan posted 4:02.92, Kipyegon 4:02.62, Chepchir 4:00.87 and Ethiopia’s Meshesha 4:03.47, setting up a grueling battle for the women’s 1500m crown.
Uganda’s chance for fireworks starts tonight with Stella Chesang and Sarah Chelangat in the 10,000m finals, while Joshua Cheptegei will chase a three-peat in the men’s 10,000m finals on Sunday.
At Least three Kenyans, Kipyegon, Chepchirchir and Edinah Jebitok, qualified for the semi-finals.
Nanyondo will return to the drawing board after the disappointment. At the 2022 Oregon Worlds, Nanyondo qualified for the 1500m finals, in which she finished seventh.
She clocked 4.01.98 and walked away with $5,000 (about Shs19m) as a consolation for her stellar efforts in the brutal race.
Uganda’s chance for fireworks starts tonight with Stella Chesang and Sarah Chelangat in the 10,000m finals, while Joshua Cheptegei will chase a three-peat in the men’s 10,000m finals on Sunday.
