Winnie Nanyondo (born 23 August 1993, in Mulago)[1] is a Ugandan middle- and long-distance runner. She has represented her native country in several important international events, including both the 2016 Rio Olympics and 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the 2014 World University Cross Country Championships, the 2014 Commonwealth Games, the 2013 Summer Universiade, and the 2012 World Junior Championships in Athletics.

Winnie Nanyondo
Nanyondo (left) competing at the 2014 Commonwealth Games
Personal information
NationalityUgandan
Born (1993-08-23) 23 August 1993 (age 30)
Sport
CountryUganda
SportAthletics
Event(s)Middle-, Long-distance running
Achievements and titles
Personal bests
Medal record
Women's athletics
Representing  Uganda
Commonwealth Games
Bronze medal – third place 2014 Glasgow 800 m

Career edit

2012–2013 edit

At the 2012 World Junior Championships, she reached the final in the 800 metres after running a personal best of 2:02.38 in her semi-final. The final was won by American Ajee' Wilson in a personal best of 2:00.91, with Nanyondo finishing a disappointing last in 2:07.23.

A year later, at the 2013 Summer Universiade in the 800 metres, her 2:02.96 finish time in the semi-finals was not fast enough to advance to the final. Nor did her 4:28.77 finish time in the semi-finals of the 1500 metres qualify her for the final.

2014 edit

In 2014, Uganda hosted the Universiade World Cross Country Championships. Nanyondo took a 30-second victory to lead the home team to a 1-2-3 sweep and the team championship.[2][3]

Later in the year, she improved her track performance, taking her 800 metres time under 2:00.00 with a 1:59.27 race-winning performance in the Golden Spike Ostrava meet.[4]

A little more than a month later, at the Herculis meet in Monaco, she again improved her personal best in the 800 meters to 1:58.63, which placed her third behind second-place finisher and 2013 world champion Eunice Sum (1:57.92) and the winner Ajee' Wilson (1:57.67).[5][6]

At the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, Nanyondo won a bronze medal for finishing third in the 800 metres final with a time of 2:01.38, just behind Sum of Kenya and Lynsey Sharp of Scotland.[7]

2015–2016 edit

In 2015 and 2016, she raced slower than her personal best in the 800 metres, failing to run faster than 2 minutes flat. She ran her season's best time of 2:01.97 at a race in Kortrijk, Belgium on 11 July 2015, finishing third.[8][9] At the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, she did not advance out of the first round of the 800 metres event, finishing sixth in heat #5 in a time of 2:02.77.

However, she improved her personal best at 1500 metres in Kawasaki, Japan, on 10 May 2015, finishing the race in 4:17.13.

Education edit

She is an industrial art and design student at Kampala University.

International competitions edit

Representing   Uganda
Year Competition Venue Position Event Notes
2012 World Junior Championships Barcelona, Spain 8th 800 m 2:07.23
2013 Universiade Kazan, Russia 10th (sf) 800 m 2:02.96
18th (h) 1500 m 4:28.77
2014 Commonwealth Games Glasgow, United Kingdom 3rd 800 m 2:01.38
2015 African Games Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo 7th 800 m 2:04.53
2016 Olympic Games Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 47th (h) 800 m 2:02.77
2017 World Championships London, United Kingdom 29th (h) 800 m 2:02.65
2018 Commonwealth Games Gold Coast, Australia 4th 800 m 2:00.36
10th 1500 m 4:06.05
African Championships Asaba, Nigeria 5th 800 m 1:59.41
5th 1500 m 4:16.55
2019 World Championships Doha, Qatar 4th 800 m 1:59.18
11th 1500 m 4:00.63
2021 Olympic Games Tokyo, Japan 13th (sf) 800 m 1:59.84
7th 1500 m 3:59.80
2022 World Indoor Championships Belgrade, Serbia 4th 1500 m i 4:04.60
World Championships Eugene, United States 8th 1500 m 4:01.98
2023 World Championships Budapest, Hungary 47th (h) 1500 m 4:10.55

References edit

  1. ^ 2014 Winnie Nanyondo Biography". Commonwealth Games Federation. 2014. Accessed 15 September 2019.
  2. ^ Larner, Brett. "Championships results - Japan takes team silver and bronze". Japan Running News. 22 March 2014. Accessed 14 September 2019.
  3. ^ Bakama, James. "Nanyondo predicted gold and got it". New Vision. Archived from the original on July 27, 2014. Accessed 14 September 2019.
  4. ^ Omogbeja, Yomi. "Winnie Nanyondo nears Ugandan 800m record in Ostrava". Athletics Africa. 8 June 2014. Accessed 2 October 2016.
  5. ^ "800 Metres Women". IAAF Diamond League. Monaco (Stade Louis II). 18 July 2014. Accessed 3 October 2016.
  6. ^ "Wilson beats Sum in Monaco 800m". Universal Sports. See the race: Nanyondo national record. Accessed 14 September 2019.
  7. ^ Katende, Norman. "How clever Nanyondo recovered to win bronze". NewVision. 2 August 2014. Accessed 14 September 2019.
  8. ^ "800m women, heat 2 of 2: official results". 18th Guldensporenmeeting. Accessed 3 October 2016.
  9. ^ Winnie Nanyondo: full profile". IAAF Diamond League. Section: Progression - 800m. Accessed 3 October 2016.

External links edit