Overview:
In the earlier 800m men heat 3 race, Uganda’s Tom Dridriga won with a time of 1:49:43 ahead of Saudi Arabia’s Faisal Maghrabi (1:49:47) and Egyptian Ebrahim Alzofairi.
2025 Islamic Solidarity Games:
Collected Results for Uganda (Morning session)
400m women (Heat 2):
- Leni Shida (Winner) – 52:47
400m women (Heat 1):
- Mauren Banura Akiiki (5th) – 54:99
800m men (Heat 1):
- Tom Dradriga (Winner) – 1:49:43
Uganda’s middle-distance winner Leni Shida qualified for the final of the women’s 400m race at the 6th Islamic Solidarity Games in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday.
Shida won the second heat with a time of 52:47 ahead of Morocco’s Houda Nouiri (52:72) and Guyana’s Nicola Abrams Aliyah (53:01) amid very hot weather conditions at the Prince Faisal Bin Fahad Stadium in Riyadh city.
“It was a great race,” Shida told Kawowo Sports as she reported to the locker rooms.
“The prime target was to qualify for the final, and I have made it. Special thanks to the Lord. Now, I look forward to the final and I will give my best,” Shida, whose season best time is 50:93, added.
The first heat was won by Naser Salwa with a slightly faster time of 52:13 ahead of Nigerian Patience George Okon (52:91) and Morocco’s Salma Lehlali (53:26).
Uganda’s Mauren Akiiki Banura finished fifth in the 7-man heat with 54:99.
Meanwhile, in the earlier men’s 800m heat 3 race, Uganda’s Tom Dridriga won with a time of 1:49:43 ahead of Saudi Arabia’s Faisal Maghrabi (1:49:47) and Egyptian Ebrahim Alzofairi.
Dradriga qualified for the final like he had in the 1500m race.
Evening session:
Ugandans in the middle distance races will return to action on Monday evening.
First, Haron Adoli will race in the 400m men’s heat 1 at 9:33 PM. In heat 3 of the same distance will be Kenneth Omuka at 9:47 PM.
The night will climax with the long-awaited 10,000m men’s final starting at 9:55 PM involving two Ugandans; Abel Chebet and Samuel Simba Cherop.
On Monday, Dradriga took part in the 1500m men’s semifinal Heat 1, qualifying for the final on Wednesday.
Javelin thrower Josephine Joyce Lalam suffered a knee injury and did not complete the competition.
Leonard Chemutai (Steeplechase) finished just outside the medal bracket in fourth position before the two ladies, Annet Chemengich Chelangat and Rabecca Chelangat, took to the women’s 10,000m final.
Rabecca clocked 32:11:42 to win gold as Annet Chelangat finished fourth.
Qatar’s Violah Motosio (32:13:59) took home silver, and Samiya Hassan Nour from Djibouti finished third to settle for bronze with a time of 32:17:72.
Annet Chelangat ran 32:51:33 to take fourth place, whilst Qatar’s Ruth Jebet was 6th (33:10:63).
Uganda has so far won 7 medals at these games; 3 gold, a silver and 3 bronze.
Hungary-based swimmer Anna Gloria Muzito has two gold medals (50m and 100 freestyle races); Rabecca Chelangat (gold in 10,000m women’s race), and Muzito with a silver in 200m freestyle.
The bronze has come from Boxing (Alfred Ojok), Table Tennis doubles women team (Parvin Judith Nangonzi and Jemimah Nakawala), as well as swimmer Jesse Ssuubi Ssengonzi (OLY) in the 200m butterfly race.
Uganda has competed in all the Islamic Solidarity Games since Mecca (2005).