Rudisha leads Kenyan storm in 800m
Kenya's David Lekuta Rudisha (R) leads the pack ahead of Brazil's Kleberson Davide (C) and Algeria's Mahfoud Brahimi (L) in their men's 800 metres semi-final at the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Championships in Daegu on August 28, 2011. AFP PHOTO / OLIVIER MORIN
What you need to know:
- Kivuva falls, Kirwa survives and Kimutai is 32nd in 20km walk while all women through to 1,500m final but Olympic champion Nancy Jebet Langat finishes fifth in opening heat to just make it
Alfred Kirwa Yego almost knocked himself out of Tuesay’s final of the 800 metres as David Rudisha strolled in the park to qualify with Kenya’s third entry Jackson Kivuva falling by the wayside in Sunday’s semi-finals.
Elsewhere, the 1,500m trio of Nancy Jebet Langat, Hellen Obiri and Viola Kibiwott all qualified for Thursday’s final in contrasting fashion while lone walker David Kimutai strolled home 32nd in the men’s 20km walk.
“Oh my God!” Kirwa screamed in the athletes and media mixed zone after he realized he and Rudisha were through to the final, Rudisha as the winner in the final heat (1:44.20) and Kirwa as one of the fastest losers (1:44.82).
Kirwa was locked in the inside lane and had to force his way out for the finishing sprint, finishing behind Ethiopia’s surprise package Mohammed Aman (1:44.57), Poland’s Marcin Lewandowski (1:44.60) and pre-race favourite Abubaker Kaki of Sudan (1:44.62).
“There was a lot of pushing and I made the same mistake I made in Berlin (2009 World Championships). I did not realize Kaki was ahead of me,” said Yego.
“It’s going to be a tough final (tomorrow) and if we plan well with Rudisha, I don’t see any problem.”
Kirwa will have Rudisha to thank for his ticket as the World Athlete of the Year controlled the pace in the final heat, knowing that a fast race would deal Kirwa’s hopes of qualifying as one of the fastest losers a fatal blow.
This was after Kivuva (1:45.97), planned poorly and finished third in heat one behind USA’s Nick Symmonds (1:45.73) and former Olympic champion Yuriy Borzakovskiy (1:45.73).
“For me it was just a matter of making the final. This is a championship and there are many races that’s why the times are slow,” said Rudisha.
Kenya’s biggest scare came in the women’s 1,500m heats where Olympic champion Langat (4:14.37) finished fifth in the opening heat to just make the final.
Qualify comfortably
Viola Kibiwott (4:10.74) finished third in the second heat to qualify comfortably as did upstart Hellen Obiri (4:07.59) in third place in the final heat.
Russia’s Valeriy Borchin (1:19.56) won the 20km walk with Kimutai only one of two Africans in the race, finishing 32nd in a season’s best 1:27.20.
“I’m not done yet and I will go for qualification to next year’s Olympic games before retiring from the sport,” said the Kenya Defence Force veteran.
There will be no final for Kenya on Monday with the only interest being the opening round of the 3,000m steeplechase at dawn (4.40am Kenyan time) where the trio of former Olympic champion Brimin Kipruto, Africa champion and Team Kenya’s overall captain here, Richard Mateelong and Abraham Chirchir will have qualified for Thursday’s final by the time you read this report.
