NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 22 – Emmanuel Wanyonyi and Noah Kibet, Kenya’s two representatives in the final of the 800m at the World Athletics Under-20 Championships in Nairobi have vowed to leave nothing to chance in their quest to ensure that the title remains with Kenya.
Solomon Lekuta won the title during the last Championship held in Tampere, Finland in 2018 with Ngeno Kipngetich coming in second and the duo will be keen to replicate the same feat in home soil.
“We have to ensure that we improve in the pace in the final because the times we ran in the semis are not fit to win a Championship. We have talked with Noah and agreed that we have to run from the front and control the pace. There is no letting down. We have to take the final head on,” a confident Wanyonyi said after the winning his semi final head.
He added; “A Championship is very tricky and there is no taking chances. We have to dominate and control every aspect of the race. We are running at home and we need to ensure we win.”
In the semis, Wanyonyi put up a good last sprint to win the race in a time of 1:46.15 ahead of Algerian Mohamed Ali Gouaned.
Kenya’s Emmanuel Wanyonyi glides to victory in his heat at the World Under-20 Championships in Nairobi. PHOTO/Kelly Ayodi/World U20 LOC
“I was just targeting to run the same time like I did in the first heats and I achieved that. I conserved my energy well and I feel ready for the final,” added Wanyonyi.
Meanwhile, compatriot Kibet clocked 1:46.47 to come in first in his heat ahead of Jakub Davidik who ran a Czech Republic National Under-20 Record of 1:46.59.
In the final, Gouaned will be the biggest threat for the Kenyan duo, but they are bullish and confident.
“He has the best time from this season, but we are not afraid. We will take the race head on and try to get a good win,” Wanyonyi affirmed.
