Ezekiel Kemboi on course for fourth title, David Rudisha storms semis

Kenya's David Lekuta Rudisha (right) competes in the heats of the men’s 800 metres athletics event at the 2015 IAAF World Championships at the "Bird's Nest" National Stadium in Beijing on August 22, 2015. PHOTO | OLIVIER MORIN |

What you need to know:

  • World 3,000m steeplechase champion Ezekiel Kemboi remained on course for his fourth World title when he eased through to the final alongside his quartet of the 2013 World silver medallist Conseslus Kipruto, 2008 Beijing Olympics champion Brimin Kipruto and Diamond League champion Jairus Birech.
  • Conseslus Kipruto edged out US champion Evan Jager to win his heat in 8:41.41 against 8:41.81.

Olympic champion and world record-holder David Rudisha guided his team of Ferguson Rotich and World junior champion Alfred Kipketer to Sunday’s 800m semi-finals of the IAAF World Championships at Beijing's "Bird's Nest" National Stadium.

World 3,000m steeplechase champion Ezekiel Kemboi remained on course for his fourth World title when he eased through to the final alongside his quartet of the 2013 World silver medallist Conseslus Kipruto, 2008 Beijing Olympics champion Brimin Kipruto and Diamond League champion Jairus Birech.

Kenya's Ezekiel Kemboi (centre) leads the pack in the heats of the men’s 3,000 metres steeplechase athletics event at the 2015 IAAF World Championships at the "Bird's Nest" National Stadium in Beijing on August 22, 2015. PHOTO | PEDRO UGARTE | AFP

Kenya's Jairus Kipchoge Birech competes in the heats of the men’s 3,000 metres steeplechase athletics event at the 2015 IAAF World Championships at the "Bird's Nest" National Stadium in Beijing on August 22, 2015. PHOTO | OLIVIER MORIN | AFP

Commonwealth champion, Faith Chepng’etich also qualified for women’s 1,500m semi-finals alongside former World junior 3000m bronze medallist Nancy Chepkwemoi but disappointment was all over Viola Lagat’s face after she failed to qualify in the metric mile race.

In his first race at the Bird’s Nest, Rudisha looked comfortable, taking control of the race with his towering figure seeming to intimidate his rivals. Rudisha's heat was however pedestrian, with the Kenyan covering the first lap at 55.63 before winning in 1:48.31 that was the slowest heat.

RUDISHA THROUGH

Rudisha, who won the 2011 world title before following it up with the Olympic gold in a world record time of 1:40.91 at the 2012 London Games, outclassed Abraham Kipchirchir from Bahrain in 1:48.42 and Qatari Musaeb Abdulrahman (1:48.59). The trio qualified for the semi-finals.

With the qualifying formula of the first three in each of the six heats plus the next six fastest runners, it seemed like a fairly routine task for the favourites to make the cut for Sunday’s semi-final. Indeed, all the favourites progressed safely, leaving the men’s 800m one of the most open events of the IAAF World Championships, Beijing 2015.

Rotich, the winner of the Kenyan world trials, clocked 1:45.83, the fastest time in the first round, beating Moroccan Amine El Manaoui to second in 1:45.86. The swift times can be attributed to the bold race strategy of the Netherlands’ Thijmen Kupers, who ran 51.86 for the first 400m. Kupers' split was the fastest opening lap of the morning, and his strategy paid off after he the cut for the semi-finals with 1:46.70, despite finishing sixth in his heat.

Kipketer finished second in is heat in 1:46.67, as Poland’s Adam Kszczot looked very comfortable, cruising to victory with a solid 1:46.68, despite visibly slowing down and even looking over his shoulders on the last 20 metres.

The world leader Amel Tuka, the biggest discovery in the European middle distance running this year, clocked 1:46.12 to win his heat. Botswana’s London 2012 Olympics silver medallist Nijel Amos and the defending world champion Mohammed Aman from Ethiopia, played it safe, running controlled races and their respective heats in 1:47.23 and 1:47.89.

KIPRUTO WINS

Conseslus Kipruto edged out US champion Evan Jager to win his heat in 8:41.41 against 8:41.81.

Kemboi, winner in 2009 Berlin, 2011 Daegu and 2013 Moscow, played a waiting game until about 200 metres to go when he started to kick hard and sprinted off the last barrier before winning in 8:24.75, followed home by Morocco’s Brahim Taleb in 8:24.84 and Birmin Kipruto 8:24.95.

Birech showed why he has been the number one steeplechaser in the world since the start of last year by going through the gears before winning in 8:25.77.

Chepng’etich finished second in 4:02.77 in the heat won by Ethiopia’s world record-holder Genzebe Dibaba in 4:02.59 as Chepkwemoi was third in her heat (4:05.65) won by Besu Sado of Ethiopia 4:05.39.

Ethiopia's Genzebe Dibaba (right) and Kenya's Faith Chepngetich Kipyegon (left) compete in the heats of the women’s 1,500 metres athletics event at the 2015 IAAF World Championships at the "Bird's Nest" National Stadium in Beijing on August 22, 2015. PHOTO | OLIVIER MORIN | AFP

A seventh finish for Lagat in 4:12.15 on her Worlds debut marked her exit from the championships that kicked off early Saturday morning in a big disappointment for Kenyans after the highly marathon team of Dennis Kimetto, Wilson Kipsang and Mark Korir failed to win a medal in the race won by an Eritrean teen.

Eritrea's Ghirmay Ghebreslassie celebrates winning the final of the men's marathon athletics event at the 2015 IAAF World Championships at the "Bird's Nest" National Stadium in Beijing on August 22, 2015. AFP PHOTO | FRANCK FIFE