Halima Nakaayi, Uganda’s middle-distance runner, has set her sights on the 2024 Paris Olympic Games after clinching a silver medal in the women’s 800m final at the 13th All-Africa Games in Accra, Ghana.

Nakaayi secured second place with a time of 1:58:59, trailing behind Ethiopia’s Tsige Geniecu Duguma, who clinched gold with a time of 1:57:73. Kenya’s Vivian Kiprotich Chebet secured the bronze medal.

This marks Nakaayi’s second medal in the 800m race at the continental games, adding to her bronze medal from 2019 in Rabat, Morocco. Susan Aneno, another Ugandan in the 800m, finished sixth with a time of 2.04.79.

Reflecting on her performance, the 2019 world champion expressed confidence in her abilities despite narrowly missing out on gold. “I have been feeling good, but I think I lost it in the last meters,” she remarked. “It’s early in the season, and I am focusing on the Olympics. I believe everything will fall into place.”

Nakaayi’s silver medal contributed to Uganda’s total of nine medals at the Games, comprising two golds (in badminton and cycling), four silvers (three in weightlifting and one in athletics), and three bronze medals (in swimming and weightlifting). Uganda currently ranks 14th on the overall medal table.

In other sports news, Uganda’s National Under-20 football team, the Hippos, made significant strides by advancing to the final of the tournament. Despite initially trailing by two goals against DR Congo, the Hippos staged a remarkable comeback to defeat Congo Brazzaville 4-2 in the semi-final match at the Accra Sports Stadium in Ghana.