Kenyan trio sail through to 5,000m final
Kenyans Jacob Krop (left) and Edwin Kurgat react after qualifying for the finals of the 5,000m at the Stade de France on August 7, 2024.
What you need to know:
- At the 1992 Games in Barcelona, Paul Bitok settled for silver, before a repeat performance at the 1996 Atlanta games in USA.
- At the Athens games in 2004, Kenya settled for a bronze medal through Eliud Kipchoge, who later improved his performance and bagged a silver medal with his compatriot Edwin Soi winning a bronze medal at the Beijing games in 2008.
Three Kenyans on Wednesday booked their slots in the men's 5,000m final at the Paris Olympic Games in France.
World bronze medalist Jacob Krop and Edwin Kurgat competing in the first heat sailed through after finishing in fourth and fifth positions in a race full of high drama with athletes still stuck together when the bell rung for the final lap.
Krop clocked 14:08.73, while the US-based Kurgat timed 14:08.76 in the race won by Norway’s Narve Gilje Nordas, who clocked 14:08.16.
In the second heat, Ronald Kwemoi, the national trials champion, sailed through after emerging in sixth position with a time of 13:52.51.
Jimmy Gressier of France (left), Jacob Krop (centre) and Edwin Kurgat of Kenya in action during the Men's 5000m Round 1 at the Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France on August 07, 2024
Since the inception of the Olympics, Kenya has bagged one gold medal in the distance through John Ngugi at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea.
Legendary Kipchoge Keino and Naftali Temu bagged silver and bronze medals respectively at the Mexico City games in 1968.
At the 1992 Games in Barcelona, Paul Bitok settled for silver, before a repeat performance at the 1996 Atlanta games in USA.
At the Athens games in 2004, Kenya settled for a bronze medal through Eliud Kipchoge, who later improved his performance and bagged a silver medal with his compatriot Edwin Soi winning a bronze medal at the Beijing games in 2008.
