Nairobi, Kenya: Ugandan track and field sprinter Shida Leni shattered her own national record in the women’s 400 metres after clocking a sensational 50.93 seconds to finish second at the Absa Kip Keino Classic Continental Tour held in Nairobi on Saturday, May 31st.
The performance not only earned her a podium finish but also broke her previous national record of 51.25 seconds, marking a major personal and national milestone in her blossoming athletics career.
Leni, who has been under the guidance of the husband-and-wife coaching duo Kevin and Sue O’Connor since 2013, achieved the feat amid rising signs of peak form and conditioning.
According to coach Kevin O’Connor, the new personal best was a long time coming. “Shida has been achieving PBs in weightlifting in the gym and at track sessions at Mandela National Stadium. So a 400m PB was on the cards, indicating that this national record was possible,” Kevin said after the race.
The 30-year-old sprinter has also benefited from the close support of her London-based manager Jeff Freeman, whose behind-the-scenes coordination has been instrumental in Leni’s international outings.
The Kip Keino Classic, part of the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold series, attracted elite athletes from around the world, but it was Leni’s fearless surge that electrified Ugandan fans.
Leni’s time of 50.93 seconds is expected to raise her ranking ahead of the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. The result makes her one of Uganda’s top female track athletes, continuing a legacy of excellence and hinting at even greater achievements to come.
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