Halima Nakaayi delivered a gutsy run on Saturday, finishing third in the women’s 800m at the Wanda Diamond League in London.
The Ugandan clocked a season-best 1:57.62 in a tight finish behind Britain’s Georgia Bell Hunter (1:56.74) and American Addison Wiley (1:57.43).
Nakaayi ran smart from the start, sticking with the lead pack as the pace surged. With 200 metres left, she kicked hard, drawing level with the leaders. But Bell Hunter, lifted by the home crowd, held on, and Wiley just edged Nakaayi at the line.
Still, it was the 2019 world champion’s fastest time this year, a strong sign she’s hitting form ahead of the World Championships.
Australia’s Claudia Hollingsworth ran a personal best 1:58.02 for fourth, while St. Vincent’s Shafiqua Maloney came fifth in 1:58.47.
The result keeps Nakaayi in the hunt for a spot in the Diamond League final in Zurich.
