Shida Leni shines with 400m victory in Poland

10 August 2025, 12:24 pm

By Edwin Okurmu

Uganda’s top female sprinter and national record holder for both the 400 metres and 200 metres, Shida Leni, delivered a commanding performance to win the women’s 400 metres at the Maniak Memorial Meeting in Poland.

Born on 22 May 1994, Leni clocked an impressive 52.21 seconds, beating a strong multinational field that included athletes from Burkina Faso, Poland, Germany, Jamaica, India and Japan.

Burkina Faso’s Sita Sibiri finished second in 52.40 seconds, while Poland’s Aleksandra Formella came third with 52.42 seconds.

The final standings were:

Shida Leni (Uganda) – 52.21
Sita Sibiri (Burkina Faso) – 52.40
Aleksandra Formella (Poland) – 52.42
Karolina Pahlitzsch (Germany) – 52.87
Candice McLeod (Jamaica) – 53.76
Jisna Mathew (India) – 54.12
Arie Aoki (Japan) – 54.23

This victory reinforces Leni’s status as one of Africa’s leading sprinters and a formidable competitor on the world stage.