Sawe out, Obiri confirms she's on for title defence
Kenya's Mathew Sawe competes in the men's High Jump heats at the 2019 IAAF Athletics World Championships at the Khalifa International stadium in Doha on October 1, 2019. PHOTO | ANDREJ ISAKOVIC |
What you need to know:
- Defending champion Mutaza Essa Barshim from Qatar cleared all the heights up to 2.29m to qualify for the final alongside Authorised Neutral Athlete Ila Ivanyuk.
IN DOHA
Defending champion, Kenya’s Hellen Obiri, who had been a major doubt for the first round of women’s 5000 metres race of the 2019 World Athletics Championships in Doha, will compete in today's race after all.
The race goes down Wednesday evening from 6.25pm.
Obiri, who finished fifth in the final of women’s 10,000m race, had indicated early Tuesday that she would assess her condition and consult coaches before deciding whether or not to compete in the race.
“I am yet to decide whether I will compete,” Obiri had said in a brief statement.
However, Athletics Kenya Public Relations Officer Evans Bosire confirmed to journalists later Tuesday that Obiri will compete in the race.
Obiri, who skipped the national trials held at Nyayo National Stadium on September 13, qualified to compete in Doha by virtue of being the defending champion.
She is expected to team up with Lilian Kasait and Margaret Chelimo in her title defence. Kasait timed 15 minutes, 43.55 to win the national trials, followed by Chelimo (15:46.65).
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Kasait said she was ready for Wednesday’s race.
“We are planning to fight hard and to reach the final. We work as a team and that will continue in the race,” she said.
“It will be good if all of us run in the final. Obiri’s presence is good and gives us more options for team work but we will wait and see what happens,” Kasait said.
Meanwhile, African champion Matthew Sawe on Tuesay finished 15th in the second heat of his high jump competition to exit the title race in Doha.
Competing in Group 'B' of men's high jump, Sawe failed to clear a height of 2.17 metres in his first attempt.
He however succeeded in the second attempt.
Sawe, who won the men's high jump title at the 2018 African Athletics Championships in Asaba, failed to clear the next height of 2.2 metres in three attempts to exit the title race.
Mikhail Akimenko, competing in Group 'A' as Authorised Neutral Athlete, easily cleared all the heights up to the 2.29 metres at the first time of asking to qualify for the final alongside five other athletes from the pool.
Defending champion Mutaza Essa Barshim from Qatar cleared all the heights up to 2.29m to qualify for the final alongside Authorised Neutral Athlete Ila Ivanyuk.
