Uganda’s middle-distance sensation Halimah Nakaayi has promised to give her all for the nation as she prepares to compete in the women’s 800m race at the prestigious London Diamond League this Saturday.
Nakaayi, who stands as the only Ugandan athlete participating in this leg of the Diamond League series, will face a formidable international field. However, the 2019 World Champion and 2022 World Indoor bronze medalist says she is focused and ready to make her country proud.
“I will be going all out to try and win the race, but also try to improve my personal best time. I’m proud to represent Uganda, and I want to make my people proud.” Nakaayi said in an interview
The 29-year-old athlete heads into the race in excellent form, having recently finished third at the Eugene Diamond League meet in the United States, behind Ethiopia’s Tsige Duyuma and South Africa’s Prudence Sekgodiso.
Her path to potential podium success in London may have been eased slightly by the withdrawal of Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson, who pulled out due to a nagging hamstring injury. Yet, Nakaayi remains fully focused on her own race strategy and performance.
“I don’t look at who is or isn’t there. Every second counts, and every race teaches me something. I’m here to fight for every inch on the track,” she said.
Beyond the weekend’s showdown, Nakaayi views the London meet as a critical step in her buildup toward the 2025 World Athletics Championships, set for September in Tokyo, Japan.
“This is part of the bigger journey. Every race is a step toward Tokyo, and I want to be in peak form when the time comes,” she added.
