The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Semenya, Ajok and Nakaayi safely into 800m semi-finals
THURSDAY RESULTS ?? #London2017
800m women
▶️ W.Nanyondo Heat 1 5TH 2:02.65 (out)
▶️ H.Nakaayi Heat 2 3rd 2:01.80 (into semis)
▶️ D.Ajok 3rd Heat 3 2:02.98 (into semis)
1,500m men
▶️ Ronald Musagala 4th in Heat 2 in 3:42.75. (Into Friday semis)
London, United Kingdom | AFP | South Africa’s Caster Semenya advanced easily to the semi-finals of the 800m after winning her first round heat at the IAAF World Championships on Thursday.
She will be joined by Uganda’s Halima Nakaayi and Docus Ajok from heats two and three.
Semenya, a bronze medallist in the 1500m in London as she attempted an audacious double, clocked 2min 01.33sec.
“I just want to keep winning,” said the South African, dogged by gender accusations since shooting to fame when she won world gold in Berlin in 2009.
“That’s all I’m concentrating on. I’m feeling okay after the 1500m, so I’m ready to go again.”
Defending world 800m champion Maryna Arzamasova of Belarus could only finish fourth in her heat, out of the automatic three qualifiers from each of the six heats.
Kenya’s Margaret Wambui, bronze medallist at both the world indoors and Olympics last year, won that heat, but Arzamasova’s season’s best of 2:01.92 was not fast enough to see her bag one of the faster loser places.
Wambui’s teammate Eunice Sum, world champion in Moscow in 2013 and bronze medallist in Beijing two years later, was a late withdrawal.
Francine Niyonsaba of Burundi, world indoor champion and Olympic silver medallist, also qualified with heat victory in 1:59.86.
Friday’s semi-finals are scheduled for 1835 GMT, with the final set for 1910 GMT on Sunday.
Uganda’s Musagala in semis
Olympics Ronald Musagal easily stormed the semi-final in the men’s 1500, and will be a good bet to make the final.
If he does, he will likely be Uganda’s last athlete on the track on the final day of the Championship.
Uganda looks set to conclude this World Championships with one medal, like at the last event in Beijing where Mutai returned with a marathon bronze medal.
Joshua Cheptegei won silver in the 10,000m on the opening day last Friday. He opted out of an attempt at a double in the 5000m, saying he felt tired after his 10,000m effort.
Uganda’s best performances came in 2005, gold for Dorcus Inzikuru in the 3000m Steeplechase, and Stephen Kiprotich, 2013 marathon gold medalist.
TWELVE years on, #Uganda still searching for a new Inzzi! #London2017 ?? #Steeplechase https://t.co/t5lN3y6za9 pic.twitter.com/70vMslqHUS
— Louis Jadwong (@Jadwong) August 8, 2017
FRIDAY SEMIS (first 2 in each heat advance, and next two fastest)
| ORDER / LANE | BIB | ATHLETE | COUNTRY | SB 2017 | PB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 4245 | Hanna HERMANSSON |  SWE |
2:00.94 | 2:00.94 |
| 3 | 3667 | Noélie YARIGO |  BEN |
2:00.99 | 1:59.12 |
| 4 | 4380 | Ajee WILSON |  USA |
1:55.61 | 1:55.61 |
| 5 | 3837 | Habitam ALEMU |  ETH |
1:58.92 | 1:58.92 |
| 6 | 3784 | Rose Mary ALMANZA |  CUB |
1:59.11 | 1:57.70 |
| 7 | 3719 | Melissa BISHOP |  CAN |
1:57.01 | 1:57.01 |
| 8 | 4154 | Hedda HYNNE |  NOR |
1:59.87 | 1:59.87 |
| 9 | 3914 | Adelle TRACEY |  GBR |
2:00.28 | 2:00.28 |
| ORDER / LANE | BIB | ATHLETE | COUNTRY | SB 2017 | PB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 4100 | Egle BALCIÜNAITÉ |  LTU |
2:01.21 | 1:59.29 |
| 3 | 4166 | Angelika CICHOCKA |  POL |
2:00.86 | 1:58.97 |
| 4 | 4227 | Selina BÜCHEL |  SUI |
1:59.46 | 1:57.95 |
| 5 | 3911 | Lynsey SHARP | GBR |
1:58.01 | 1:57.69 |
| 6 | 4209 | Caster SEMENYA |  RSA |
1:55.27 | 1:55.27 |
| 7 | 4350 | Charlene LIPSEY | USA |
1:57.38 | 1:57.38 |
| 8 | 4275 | Docus AJOK |  UGA |
2:00.79 | 2:00.79 |
| 9 | 4135 | Sanne VERSTEGEN |  NED |
1:59.55 | 1:59.55 |
| ORDER / LANE | BIB | ATHLETE | COUNTRY | SB 2017 | PB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 4281 | Halima NAKAAYI | UGA |
2:00.80 | 1:59.78 |
| 3 | 4205 | Gena LÖFSTRAND | RSA |
2:01.50 | 2:01.50 |
| 4 | 4354 | Brenda MARTINEZ | USA |
1:58.43 | 1:57.91 |
| 5 | 3660 | Francine NIYONSABA |  BDI |
1:55.47 | 1:55.47 |
| 6 | 4174 | Joanna JÓZWIK | POL |
1:59.29i | 1:57.37 |
| 7 | 4090 | Nyairera WAMBUI |  KEN |
1:57.03 | 1:56.89 |
| 8 | 3904 | Shelayna OSKAN-CLARKE | GBR |
1:59.82 | 1:58.86 |
| 9 | 3932 | Christina HERING |  GER |
2:00.77 | 1:59.54 |
Men’s 1500m semis (first 5 in each heat advance, and next 2 fastest)
| ORDER / LANE | BIB | ATHLETE | COUNTRY | SB 2017 | PB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1250 | Michal ROZMYS | POL |
3:36.37 | 3:36.37 |
| 2 | 1361 | Ronald MUSAGALA | UGA |
3:33.65 | 3:33.65 |
| 3 | 737 | Sadik MIKHOU |  BRN |
3:31.34 | 3:31.34 |
| 4 | 649 | Luke MATHEWS |  AUS |
3:35.57 | 3:35.57 |
| 5 | 1140 | Motonei MANANGOI | KEN |
3:28.80 | 3:28.80 |
| 6 | 1176 | Abdalaati IGUIDER |  MAR |
3:34.99 | 3:28.79 |
| 7 | 983 | Jake WIGHTMAN | GBR |
3:34.17 | 3:34.17 |
| 8 | 1373 | Robby ANDREWS | USA |
3:35.25 | 3:34.78 |
| 9 | 874 | Adel MECHAAL |  ESP |
3:34.70 | 3:34.70 |
| 10 | 987 | Timo BENITZ | GER |
3:34.87 | 3:34.87 |
| 11 | 1134 | Asbel KIPROP | KEN |
3:33.17 | 3:26.69 |
| 12 | 1210 | Filip INGEBRIGTSEN | NOR |
3:32.48 | 3:32.43 |
