Shida Leni goes to Tokyo
Click on the online school on the menu bar to get education package for your children
By Our Correspondent
| OLYMPIC QUALIFICATION
As we enter 2021, Uganda’s star female sprinter, Shida Leni, has one key objective on her mind. That is to qualify for the July Tokyo Olympics.
To do so, she must improve her 400m National Record (51.47 sec) by just 0.12 sec, which is equivalent to around 90cms, in order to achieve the Olympic qualifying time of 51.35 sec.
SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS Shida, 27, has been trained for over 7 years by the husband and wife coaching team of Kevin and Sue O’Connor. In that time she has made substantial progress, breaking the 400m National Record on 7 occasions, then in 2019 the 200m National Record, as well as winning 400m Silver Medal at the World University Games in Italy, narrowly missing out on Gold. Until Shida broke them, both these National Records had stood for over a decade.
COACH’S COMMENT Kevin commented: “Provided we can keep her uninjured and in good health, I am quietly confident she can qualify for Tokyo. I have been encouraged by the large number of personal bests she has set in weight-training at Silver Springs Hotel’s Espace Gym. She is entering 2021 stronger than she has ever been in her life. I must commend the hotel for giving her complimentary use of its wonderful gym until the Olympics. She trains there 3 times per week, as well as doing some swimming in its pool.”
MANAGER/EUROPEAN PROGRAMME “Shida’s manager,” continued Kevin, “is London-based Jeff Freeman and he, Covid permitting, will be setting up a racing programme for her in Europe later in 2021.” “Media houses and journalists requiring further information and/or photographs should contact the undersigned,” Kevin and Sue O’Connor stated. They also delivered her New Year message: “Shida, and the whole of her team, take this opportunity to wish you a Happy New Year.”
|