Reigning Olympic Games 800m champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi, newcomers Kelvin Kimtai Loti and Nicholas Kiplangat Kebenei hav qualified to compete at the semifinals in the 800m at the ongoing World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan.
Competing in the last heat 5, wanyonyi qualified after crossing the finish line first in 1:45.05. Wanyonyi, fresh from winning the Diamond League title, led Italian Francesco Pernici (1:45.11) and Mark English from Ireland (1:45.13).
Alex Ngeno Kipngetich missed the cut after finishing 6th in heat one at 1:45.37.
Loti qualified second from Heat 2 after returning 1:45.35 behind Mohamed Attaoui of Spain, who won the race in 1:45.23, while defending champion Marco Arop of Canada advanced from third spot in 1:45.39.
However, it was disappointing for Kenyans when African champion Alex Ng’eno failed to advance after finishing sixth (1:45.37) in Heat 1, that was won by Spaniard David Barroso (1:44.94), Olympic bronze medallist Djamel Sedjati of Algeria (1:45.01), and Kethobogile Haingura from Botswana (1:45.02) book the automatic slots.