Uganda’s middle-distance runner Halimah Nakaayi has appealed to the Government after breaking the National Women’s 1000m record in Monaco recently.
Nakaayi, who also won gold in the 800m at the 2019 World Athletics Championships, has asked the government to open the Airport and also give the athletes chance to train at Mandela National Stadium.
Prior to Monaco meeting, Nakaayi had to take her trainings on the roads as the gyms and Namboole remain closed.
“I am humbly appealing to the government to open the Airport if possible so that we can access more Diamond leagues,” Nakaayi told The-SportsNation.
Despite finishing fifth in Monaco in a race won by Kenyan Faith Kipyegon, Nakaayi set a national record of 2:32.12 in the 1000m.
“It was a good performance because the reason as to why I raced in 1000m was to check on my endurance but my race is 800m,” she added.
“Breaking the National record is so amazing but still I have to work harder for better results in 800m.”
Nakaayi says that she would have done better if Namboole was open for training.
She explained: “Of course it would been great but now you all know Namboole Stadium is a quarantine center yet it’s the only standard track we have in the whole Uganda.”
Nakaayi says that she is not certain about what next for her this year.
The 2020 Diamond League has seen most meetings like Eugene, London, Paris, Shanghai cancelled due to Covid19 pandemic.
Stockholm (August 23), Lausanne (September 2), Brussels (September 4), Rome (September 17), Doha (September 25) and China (October 17) are the remaining editions.
The Diamond League is an annual series of elite track and field athletic competitions comprising 15 of the best invitational athletics meetings.
Nakaayi won bronze for Uganda at the 2019 All Africa Games and scooped Gold at 2011 Commonwealth Youth Games.
