Africa-Press – Uganda. Getting it right. Nakaayi dipped under two minutes over the two-lap race for the first time since winning the world 800m title in 2019 while Musagala erased Julius Achon’s 22-year-old national record mark over the mile in Oslo.
MMiddle-distance runners Halimah Nakaayi and Ronald Musagala are growing in confidence pretty fast as the Tokyo Olympics draws closer.The duo, currently based at their management Global Sports Communication headquarters in Dutch city Nijmegen, are striking the right codes at the right time as evidenced by their impressive performances at the Oslo Diamond League in Norway on Thursday.Nakaayi kicked in a better gear in her season by breaking the two-minute barrier over 800m for the first time this season at the Bislett Stadium.
The world 800m champion posted a season best (SB) time of 1:58.70 seconds behind winner American Grace Kate. She is showing tremendous signs of progress and pretty fast recovery from a niggle suffered three months back in Kampala. “Perfect for this moment,” her coach Addy Ruiter described the performance.
Picking up
The 26-year-old started slowly with 2:02.52 in sixth place on her season bow at the FBK Games in Hengelo, Netherlands, on June 6. And 13 days later, she went to Lyon, France, and posted 2:00.62 in second place. Clad in black bibs and white spikes, Nakaayi looked much better in Oslo. She crossed 400m in 57.14 before turning on her engine to lead with 250m to go but Kate charged in lane 2 to grab the lead in the final turn to the tape.
The 32-year-old took solace after failing in the USA Olympic Trials by winning in a personal best of 1:57.59. Nakaayi’s compatriot Musagala had something more to smile about after he broke the 22-year-old mile national record (NR) by posting 3:53.04 despite finishing sixth.
Musagala
“I am very happy,” Musagala said after the race dominated by Australian Stewart McSweyn who won in an area record and world lead time of 3:48.37. “It is a NR and also a personal best (PB),” Musagala said after the fast race.
Musagala struggled in 12th place over the 1500m at the FBK Games but here, he produced a better show. He erased his previous PB mark of 4:02.4 (hand time) but most importantly, he beat the NR time of 3:55.38 set by Julius Achon on June 6, 1999 in New York.The 28-year-old is not yet to back to his best and the NR will be a big boost in the 1500m race at the Stockholm Diamond League in Sweden tomorrow.
He will line up against a Kenyan trio of 10000m runner Ronald Kwemoi – who is in pursuit of speed, 2017 world indoor champion Bethwell Birgen and reigning world champion Timothy Cheruyiot in a 13-man field.
Oslo Diamond League
RESULTS | WOMEN’S 800M
1.Grace Kate USA 1:57.602.Halimah Nakaayi UGA 1:58.703.Lore Hoffmann SUI 1:59.06MEN’S MILE1.Stewart McSweyn AUS 3:48.372.Marcin Lewandowski POL 3:49.113.Jye Edwards AUS 3:49.276.Ronald Musagala UGA 3:53.04
