Gold medallist Uganda's Halimah Nakaayi poses on the podium during the medal ceremony for the Women's 800m at the 2019 IAAF World Athletics Championships at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha on October 1, 2019. AFP / Mustafa Abumunes
Cutting down on mistakes and keeping herself focussed helped Uganda’s Halimah Nakaayi to emerge on top in the 800m women’s final at the IAAF World Championships at the Khalifa International Stadium on Monday.
The 24-year-old, propelled by a perfectly-timed homestretch kick, pulled off an upset victory, thus far the biggest surprise of the Championship.
Nakaayi’s effort of 1:58.04 gave her the gold and she was followed by American duo of Raevyn Rogers and Ajee Wilson.
“In every competition I have been learning how to do it. In Birmingham I was in good shape but I made some mistakes. But there is always a team round me. They sat together and they revised my mistakes,” said Nakaayi, who finished eighth at the Birmingham Diamond League and third at the African Games.
“When I went to the African Games I was in good shape But I got bronze because I still made mistakes. I slowed down in the first lap and I ended up getting bronze,” Nakaayi said.
“So we revised the mistakes again and kept on focussing higher and higher. I am so very grateful to have this medal,” she added.
The Ugandan said her gold medal win was not a surprise to her. “I expected it because I have spent a long time preparing for it. Whatever happened in the past I have been preparing for this with a big team. They have helped me to do this in a colourful way,” she said.
Raevyn Rogers of USA, who took the silver, said her patient approach helped her.
The American accelerated in right time from down the field in the last 150 metres to take silver.
“I just had to really be patient. Running on the same track in May helped me to test the waters and learn some things about running on this track. I was able to carry that experience into this week,” Rogers said.
“Also through the rounds helped me work out how I wanted to form my race. That helped contribute to my last 150m,” the American said.
Wilson, who led at the front but faded while approaching the finish line, denied that her race plan failed.
“The first quarter went according to plan. I didn’t want it to be as slow as in the first two rounds, 59 or 60 (seconds). I felt good through 500m, and picked it up with 250m to go,” Wilson said.
“In the last 50 or 60m that was all I had. It was just about trying to make it to the line,” she said.
About the recent attempts to clean-up the sport from doping, Wilson said: “I think that’s what the hope is. I guess as time goes on they’ll be able to go back and re-test samples. It’s good that at least athletes can now receive the medals from past championships they should have had at the time.”
