Nanjing, China | Uganda’s rising middle-distance star Tom Dradriga has secured a place in the men’s 800m final at the ongoing World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, after a commanding performance in the semifinals.
Dradriga clocked an impressive 1:46.98 to finish second in his semifinal heat, booking an automatic spot in the highly competitive final set for later this weekend. His smooth yet aggressive run showcased maturity and tactical awareness well beyond his years.
The 23-year-old had earlier won his opening heat with a time of 1:49.09 on March 21, comfortably advancing to the semifinals and attracting praise from fans and the Uganda Athletics Federation (UAF).
“A rising star in middle-distance running, Dradriga is proving he’s a big deal on the track,” UAF tweeted on Saturday.
His rise adds to Uganda’s growing reputation in global athletics, traditionally known for long-distance greats like Joshua Cheptegei and Peruth Chemutai. Dradriga’s progress in the shorter 800m marks an exciting new chapter for the nation’s athletics scene.
Meanwhile, Uganda’s female middle-distance runner Halimah Nakaayi also gave a commendable performance in Nanjing, recording a season-best 2:04.57 in the women’s 800m. Despite finishing fifth in her heat and not advancing, Nakaayi’s run was a positive step forward in her season.
“Great efforts from both of our athletes,” UAF noted on social media. “Congratulations to Tom for advancing, and well done to Halimah for her season-best time.”
As the countdown begins for the men’s 800m final, all eyes will be on Dradriga to see if he can bring home a medal and further solidify his place among the world’s elite middle-distance runners.