Kenyan duo sweep into 400m semis

Team Kenya's coaches Kariuki Gikonyo (left) and Moses Kiplagat consult from the terraces during the IAAF World Under-18 Athletics championship on July 12, 2017 at Moi International Sports centre, Kasarani. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO |

By  Ayumba Ayodi  &  Bernard Rotich

What you need to know:

  • The semi-finals are due Thursday afternoon.

Kelvin Sawe and David Sanayek chalked good results to sail through to the semi-finals of their 400m races in the World-Under Championships at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani on Wednesday.

Sawe, the form three student at Katerembo in Machakos, tore the field to shreds from behind, clocking a personal best of 47.36 seconds. He brushed aside Isah Musa from Bahrain and Ukraine’s Yaraslav Demchenko to second and third places in 47.91 and 48.11 respectively.

Sanayek, who is in form four at Kirobon Secondary School, Nakuru, finished second behind Jamaican Antonio Watson but it was enough to set his personal best of 47.29 against the winner’s 47.22 that was the second fastest time in the heats.

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Anthony Cox ran the fastest time and a personal best of 46.53 to win the first heat. Sanayek and Sawe’s times were ranked fourth and fifth overall.

Kenya's Kelvin Sawe Tauta crosses the finish line to win his 400m heat during the IAAF World Under-18 Championships at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani on July 12, 2017. PHOTO | MARTIN MUKANGU |

Kenya's Kelvin Sawe Tauta (right) and Elian Larregina of Argentina compete in the 400m heats during the IAAF World Under-18 Championships at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani on July 12, 2017. PHOTO | MARTIN MUKANGU |

Sawe said that his only focus is to win gold and he has a tactic that he believes will take him all the way to the final.

“I had to come from behind to win the race. I am pleased with my performance and I hope to ease through the semis to the final,” said Sawe.

“I didn’t want to strain much since I want to reserve the energy for the semi-finals,” said Sanayek. “I followed our coaches' advice and it helped me.”

The semi-finals are due Thursday afternoon.

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