Elijah Manangoi leads Kenyan quartet into 1500m semis
Front left: Morocco's Abdalaati Iguider, Poland's Marcin Lewandowski, Kenya's Asbel Kiprop, Kenya's Elijah Motonei Manangoi, Ethiopia's Samuel Tefera and Djibouti's Ayanleh Souleiman compete in the men's 1500m at the 2017 IAAF World Championships at the London Stadium in London on August 10, 2017. PHOTO | GLYN KIRK | AFP
What you need to know:
- Kenya will have all its four athlete in the semi-finals with Timothy Cheruiyot and World junior 1,500m record-holder Ronald Kwemoi joining Kiprop and Manangoi.
- Luke Mathews of Australia won the third heat in 3:38.19, beating Cheruiyot to second place in 3:38.41.
World 1,500m silver medallist Elijah Manangoi led defending champion Asbel Kiprop in a 1-2 finish in their 1,500m race on Thursday to sail through to the semi-finals at the ongoing World Championships at London Olympic Stadium.
Kenya will have all its four athlete in the semi-finals with Timothy Cheruiyot and World junior 1,500m record-holder Ronald Kwemoi joining Kiprop and Manangoi.
From left: Kenya's Asbel Kiprop, Ethiopia's Samuel Tefera, Djibouti's Ayanleh Souleiman, Algeria's Abderrahmane Anou and France's Mahiedine Mekhissi compete in the men's 1500m at the 2017 IAAF World Championships at the London Stadium in London on August 10, 2017. PHOTO | JEWEL SAMAD | AFP
Cheruiyot finished second in the third heat for an automatic place in the semi-finals as Kwemoi sneaked through among the best losers in the fast second heat won by Sadik Mikhou from Bahrain in 3:42.12.
From left: Australia's Ryan Gregson, Britain's Chris O'hare, Kenya's Ronald Kwemoi and Spain's Marc Alcala compete in the men's 1500m at the 2017 IAAF World Championships at the London Stadium in London on August 10, 2017. PHOTO | JEWEL SAMAD | AFP
Kiprop, who was at the back of the pack, managed to swing to the front right after the bell, joining Manangoi in a highly tactical race that was full of jostling.
Manangoi won the slow contest in 3:45.93, followed by Kiprop, who is going for a fourth World title, in 3:45.96 in the heat where Olympic champion Matthew Centrowitz from USA was a major casualty.
Luke Mathews of Australia won the third heat in 3:38.19, beating Cheruiyot to second place in 3:38.41.
“It was a painfully slow race and it only picked after the 600m,” said Manangoi, who at one time during the race rallied Kiprop to join him just before the bell.
“I like team work and I hope we all make it to the final.”
Manangoi described the semi-finals as the most difficult and toughest part of the metric mile race. “You just do something stupid and you are out of contention. It calls for proper strategy and caution,” said Manangoi. “This is a Championships event and everyone is strong and capable of getting a medal.”
Kiprop said he is happy to make the semi-final and hopes for an equally fruitful semis. “The best thing is to reach the final then plan how to defend my title. My colleagues look equally strong and I won’t mind if one of them is to win,” said Kiprop.
Cheruiyot rallied his teammates ahead of the semi-finals with Kwemoi hoping that his right ankle won’t interfere with his plan in the semis.
