Faith Kipyegon tees up compatriots into 1500m semis in Budapest

Defending champion Faith Kipyegon fired early warning shots with victory in her heat and guided her compatriots to the women's 1,500 metres semi-finals of the World Athletics Championships that got underway Saturday in Budapest, Hungary.

Fast-rising Nelly Chepchirchir won the third heat while the 2017 world Under-18 bronze medallist Edinah Jebitok settled fourth in the first heat to sail through  alongside Kipyegon.

However, the 2021 world under- 20 1,500m champion Purity Chepkirui fell short.

In her usual front-running trademark, Kipyegon clocked four minutes and 02.62 seconds to win, holding off Ethiopian Diribe Welteji to second place in 4:02.72.

Kipyegon, who is eying a hat-trick after her previous exploits at the 2017 London and 2022 Oregon in the metric mile race, went into the championships, having set three track world records in 1,500m (3:49.11), 5,000m (14:05.20) and One Mile (4:07.64).

The lanky Chepchirchir, who finished fourth in 800m at the world under-20 championships last year, easily won the third heat in 4:00.87 while Jebitok settled fourth in the first heat in 4:04.09.

Dutchwoman Sifan Hassan, the Olympic 10,000m and 5,000m champion, won the first heat in 4:02.92 after rallying from the tail end.

Chepkirui boxed herself in the pack, a move that restricted her movement as she settled seventh in the fourth and last heat though in a personal best 4:04.51.

World indoor 1,500m bronze medallist Hirut Meshesha from Ethiopia won the heat in 4:03.47.