Eunice Sum storms into World Championships 800m final
Uganda's Halimah Nakaayi (centre) crosses the finish line to win the women's 800m semi-final at the 2019 IAAF World Athletics Championships at the Khalifa International stadium in Doha on September 28, 2019. PHOTO | JEWEL SAMAD |
What you need to know:
- Pre-competition favourite Ajee Wilson of the USA obliterated the field in 2:00.31 in Heat 2 ahead of Rababe Arafi of Morocco who timed 2:00.80.
IN DOHA
Kenya's 2013 World champion Eunice Sum advanced to the women's 800m final in the Doha World Championships on Saturday.
Sum timed 2:00.10 to finish second in Heat 3 behind Ugandan Halimah Nakaayi who clocked a season best 1:59.35. Ce'Aira Brown of the United States finished third in 2:00.12 to qualify as one of the two fastest losers alongside Natoya Goule (2:00.33) of Jamaica.
Pre-competition favourite Ajee Wilson of the USA obliterated the field in 2:00.31 in Heat 2 ahead of Rababe Arafi of Morocco who timed 2:00.80.
And Sum was happy with her performance and strategy in the semi-finals which she said worked as planned.
"I planned to run from outside so as to avoid the mistake I had committed during the heats. Although the Ugandan (Nakaayi) tried to hold me at the back as she tried to create room for herself. I was spiked two times in the heats, but I came off better today," Sum told Nation Sport.
Sum said her strategy is to go all out in the final in the chase of a medal.
In the final, Sum will come up against America's Raevin Rogers who timed 1:59.57 in the first semi-final heat to reach the final alongside second-placed Winnie Nanyondo from Uganda who clocked 1:59.75.
Uganda's Nakaayi carries the quickest time to the final. The top two athletes from the three heats and the next two fastest qualified for Monday's final which will start at 10.10pm.
