21 March 2022 | Athletics

Ugandan middle-distance runner Halimah Nakaayi claimed the country's first-ever medal at the World Athletics Indoor Championships after she claimed bronze in the women's 800m on Sunday.

Nakaayi ran 2:00.66 to cross finish after winner American Ajee Wilson and Ethiopian Freweyni Hailu who posted 1:59.09 SB and 2:00.54 SB respectively.

The 27-year-old was primed to finish top as the winner and she felt she had the guts to seal it but says she may have mistimed her start.

"Maybe my reaction was too slow and that cost me the gold medal," said Nakaayi, reflecting on Wilson’s decisive break.

"Right now I am glad for a medal despite the fact that my tactics were prepared to win gold."

By the first 100m split, Nakaayi was toe to toe with leader Jamaica's Natoya Goule just five seconds off.

She kept with the speeds by the 200m split but slipped to 3rd when Ethiopian Habitam Alemu upped her pace to take second place.

Nakaayi rose back to second with about 200m to go but it was quite a big ask to seal it with Wilson and Hailu charging like metronomes.

WOMEN'S 800m MEDALLISTS
🥇	Ajee Wilson 🇺🇸 USA	1:59.09 SB
🥈	Freweyni Hailu 🇪🇹 ETH	2:00.54 SB
🥉	Halimah Nakaayi 🇺🇬 UGA	2:00.66

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