Halimah Nakaayi Sets New 800m World Lead and National Record

Ugandan middle-distance runner, Halimah Nakaayi, has set two records at the USATF Los Angeles Grand Prix, a World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting, on Saturday (18).

She set a new 800m National Record of 1:57.56 and a new World lead time in the women’s 800m in the United States of America.

The day’s smallest margin of victory belonged to Halimah Nakaayi, who won the 800m in 1:57.56, only six-thousands of a second ahead of Tsige Duguma.

“Of course, I would like to be an Olympic champion,” Nakaayi said. “It’s my dream.”

Tsige Duguma from Ethiopia made a PB time of 1:57.56 while USA’s Sage Hurta-Klecker came in 3rd with SB 1:58.98.

Uganda Wildlife Authority’s Nakaayi finished second with a time of 1.58.59 in the women’s 800m final to win silver for Uganda at the African Games 2023 in Accra, Ghana.

She is the 2019 World Champion at the event and won the bronze medal at the 2022 World Indoor Championships.

Nakaayi is the current Ugandan record holder for the 800m both outdoors and indoors, and also for the 1000 metres.