NAIROBI, Kenya, August 7 – Kenya’s Emmanuel Wanyonyi sped his way into the semi-finals of the men’s 800m at the Paris Olympics, after an easy win in his heat on Wednesday afternoon.
The mile world record holder clocked 1:44.64 in Heat 3, ahead of Italy’s Catalin Tecuceanu (1:44.80) and Andreas Kramer of Sweden (1:44.93) in second and third respectively.
Commonwealth Games champion Wycliffe Kinyamal also secured his slot in the semis courtesy of a third-place finish in Heat 5, where he timed 1:45.86.
Great Briton’s Ben Pattison clocked 1:45.56 to cross the finish line first as South African Edmund du Plessis finished second in 1:45.73.
Another Kenyan in contention on the afternoon, Koitatoi Kidali will have to slug it out in the repechage on Thursday after he clocked 1:45.84 to finish fifth in Heat 2.
Frenchman Gabriel Tual cruised to first place in 1:45.13, ahead of Irishman Mark English (1:45.15) and Tshepiso Masalela (1:45.58) in second and third respectively.
The semis for the one-lap race are scheduled for Friday before the finals a day later.
Kenyans will be hoping to defend a title they won at the last edition in Tokyo courtesy of Emmanuel Korir.
