NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 28 – Kenya’s representatives in both men and women 800m cruised through into the next round at the 2019 IAAF World Championships as 2013 champion Eunice Sum booked a slot in the final slated for Monday.
Sum, who squeezed through to the semifinals, seems to have worked on her weakness as she came second in her semi to automatically advance in a time of 2:00.10 after losing to Ugandan Halima Nakaayi who won in 1:59.35.
The first qualifier was the men’s 800m where the Kenyan trio of Ferguson Rotich, Emmanuel Korir and Ngeno Kipngetich flew the Kenyan flag in the men’s Heats.
Kipngetich comfortably won the second Heat after clocking 1:46.07 to automatically sail through to Sunday’s semifinal.
Spaniard Adrian Ben came second after returning 1:46.12 ahead of Jamie Webb of the Great Britain who settled for third in 1:46.23 to automatically qualify.
American Brannon Kidder qualified as well despite finishing fourth after managing to be one of the best losers in a time of 1:46.29.
Another Kenyan Ferguson Rotich controlled the fourth Heat after winning it in 1:45.98 in a Heat that was faster than Kipngetich’s.
Rotich crossed the line ahead of American Bryce Hoppel who also automatically qualified after returning 1:46.01 while the last athlete to book the automatic slot was Abdessalem Ayouni of Tunisia in a time of 1:46.09.
This Heat provided two fastest losers in Oussama Nabil of Morocco and Polish Adam Kszczot who timed 1:46.20.
In the fifth Heat, American based Emmanuel Korir did not disappoint either as he ran the fast time of all the Heats to win in a time of 1:45.16, beating Mostafa Smaili of Morocco who qualified in second (1:45.27) while Wesley Vázquez of Puerto Rico was third to also advance in the semis (1:45.47).
