No Kenyans in sight as 800m semifinal lineup at World Indoor Championships misses national heroes

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ATHLETICS No Kenyans in sight as 800m semifinal lineup at World Indoor Championships misses national heroes

Festus Chuma 19:17 - 01.03.2024

Kenyan representatives have missed 800m semifinal at World Indoor Championships despite strong performances and season bests.

There will be no Kenyans in the 800m semi final on Saturday at the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow.

Former World U20 silver medalist Noah Kibet and Collins Kipruto failed to advance to the semifinals, leaving fans and commentators in disbelief. 

Kipruto, who had shown promising form leading up to the event, clocked a season-best time of 1:46.89 to finish third in his heat.

 Despite this strong performance, it was not enough to secure a spot in the semifinals, as the pace in the last heat of the qualifiers proved to be faster, effectively sidelining him from advancing further.

Similarly, Kibet faced disappointment as he too finished third in his heat with a time of 1:46.90, narrowly missing out on a chance to compete for his first senior global medal. 

The heat was won by Canadian athlete Bryce Hoppel, who put in a commendable performance with a time of 1:46.15.

The event also saw strong performances from other athletes, including Morocco's Abdelati El Guesse, who finished second in Kibet's heat with a time of 1:46.29, securing his place in the semifinals. 

The first heat was a tight race, with Algeria’s Mohamed Ali Gouaned taking the win in 1:46.49, followed closely by Botswana’s Tshepiso Masalela.

Kipruto's early lead in the first heat set high expectations, as he competed against formidable opponents, including Gouaned, who has the fastest personal best in the heat. 

Despite the intense competition, Kipruto's performance was a personal season best, highlighting his potential for future competitions.

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