Kimeli now exits the World Championships with no medal after finishing eighth in the 10,000m earlier on.
Four sturdy Kenyan men were lining up for the men’s 5000m Heats with the hope of making a statement but they unfortunately failed to impress after putting up a dismal show at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.
In Heat One, Diamond League final winner Nicholas Kimeli and Cornelius Kemboi failed to live up to the billing as they fizzled out to finish 14th and 17th respectively.
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The sprint sensation has already achieved what no Kenyan had managed before in 100m and the country can only feel proud of him with the 2024 Olympics around the corner.
Kimeli now exits the World Championships with no medal after finishing eighth in the 10,000m earlier on. Kemboi, who went into the championship as a debutant with the hope of making a statement also bids farewell to the event.
The Heat was won by Spain’s Mohammed Katir who clocked 13:35.90 and he was followed closely by Ethiopia’s Hagos Gebrhiwet (13:36.15).
Defending champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen of Norway completed the Heats podium after clocking a Season Best time of 13:36.21. The first seven athletes to cross the finish line also automatically qualified for the final of the event.
In Heat Two, all eyes were on World 5000m silver medallist Jacob Krop and reigning World Cross-country junior champion Ishmael Kipkurui. Kipkurui and Krop qualified for the final after finishing joint-seventh in a similar time of 13:33.63.
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Team Kenya was to be represented by the trio of Kipsang, Reynold, and Timothy Cheruiyot but the latter failed to proceed to the final.
The Heat was won by Guatemala's Luis Grijalva who clocked 13:32.72 to cross the finish line. Ethiopia's Yomif Kejelcha and Canada's Mohammed Ahmed will finish second and third in respective times of 13:32.83 and 13:33.16.
The lucky qualifiers now proceed to the final scheduled for Sunday, August 27 at 9:20 p.m. East African Time.