Uganda’s Nakaayi wins 800m silver medal at Islamic Solidarity Games

Uganda’s Nakaayi wins 800m silver medal, Jebet wins gold in Steeplechase

Baku, Azerbaijan | AFP-Services (text stories) | Uganda’s Halimah Nakaayi has won a silver medal in the women’s 800-metre final on the second day of athletics at the fourth Islamic Solidarity Games in Baku.

The 22-year-old Ugandan Olympian, was beaten by Morocco’s Malika Akkaoui. Akkaoui outlasted Nakaayi by just over half a second to win in 2 minutes 01.04 seconds as Morocco secured their second athletics gold of the Games on Wednesday. (see video and table standings below)

Nakaayi’s silver is only Uganda’s second medal at an Islamic Solidarity Games, while Noelie Yarigo picked up bronze for Benin, their first-ever medal in these Games. Uganda’s only other medal came at the inaugural Islamic Games in 2005.

Nakaayi and Shida were expected back on track Thursday for the 400m heats, while Salim Mayanja will run the 800 and 1500m Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

The Islamic Solidarity Games comprise 10 days of sporting competition by athletes from over 50 ISSF nations, in 21 sports with 270 medal events.

Uganda is represented at the games by an athletics, swimming, tennis , weightlifting team and the sport of Zurkhaneh.  Zurkhaneh ritual is a traditional heroic sport that has its roots in Iran. It combines martial arts, calisthenics, strength training and music.

Uganda fielded two in tennis, Duncan Mugabe and Oringa in the singles and doubles. The were knocked out of the doubles contest but Mugabe won his singles opening game, beating Pakistan’s Khan 6-3, 2-6, 7-6(4).

There are three athletes; Nakaayi was scheduled to run the 400m and 800m, Leni Shida the women’s 200m and 400m, and Salim Mayanja the men’s 800m and 1500.

There were also three weightlifters, Hakim Ssempereza and Semei Kasumba in the 69kg division, then Kalidi Batuusain the 94 kg. Ssempereza and Kasumba were 12th and 13th overall out of 14 weightlifters. while Batuusain came 13th out of 13.

In swimming, Uganda fielded Daisuke Ssegwanyi and Avice Michal Kakayi while Zurkhaneh has six, Robert Kizito, Okrah Stephen Kurikayo, Michael Kushemererwe, Kizza Lubega, MUGWISA Jonathan Mugwisa and Ivan Ssenyondo.

Rank	Country
1		Azerbaijan	65	39	28	132
2		Turkey	64	57	47	168
3		Iran	23	25	32	80
4		Uzbekistan	15	15	30	60
5		Bahrain	11	5	4	20
6		Algeria	7	12	18	37
7		Morocco	7	5	14	26
8		Indonesia	6	29	20	55
9		Egypt	6	4	7	17
10		Saudi Arabia	4	1	6	11
11		Kyrgyzstan	3	4	7	14
12		Jordan	3	1	11	15
13		Turkmenistan	2	4	6	12
14		Iraq	2	4	4	10
15		Kazakhstan	2	3	9	14
16		Qatar	2	2	6	10
16		Syrian Arab Republic	2	2	6	10
18		Tunisia	1	2	8	11
19		Cameroon	1	2	5	8
20		Senegal	1	1	1	3
21		Bangladesh	1	1	0	2
21		Gambia	1	1	0	2
23		Benin	1	0	1	2
23		Guinea-Bissau	1	0	1	2
23		Mozambique	1	0	1	2
26		Pakistan	0	2	5	7
27		Oman	0	2	3	5
28		Nigeria	0	2	1	3
29		United Arab Emirates	0	1	3	4
30		Guyana	0	1	2	3
30		Suriname	0	1	2	3
32		Djibouti	0	1	1	2
33		Uganda	0	1	0	1
34		Côte d’Ivoire	0	0	4	4
35		Afghanistan	0	0	1	1
35		Lebanon	0	0	1	1
35		Malaysia	0	0	1	1
38		Albania	0	0	0	0
38		Brunei Darussalam	0	0	0	0
38		Burkina Faso	0	0	0	0
38		Chad	0	0	0	0
38		Comoros	0	0	0	0
38		Gabon	0	0	0	0
38		Guinea	0	0	0	0
38		Maldives	0	0	0	0
38		Mali	0	0	0	0
38		Mauritania	0	0	0	0
38		Niger	0	0	0	0
38		Palestine	0	0	0	0
38		Sierra Leone	0	0	0	0
38		Somalia	0	0	0	0
38		Tajikistan	0	0	0	0
38		Togo	0	0	0	0
38		Yemen	0	0	0	0