Wanyonyi, Kinyamal qualify for 800m semi-finals
Emmanuel Wanyonyi of Kenya competes in the Men's 800m Round 1 at the Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France on August 07, 2024.
What you need to know:
- In the second heat, Kenyan debutante Koitatoi Kidali finished fifth after timing 1:45.84 as France’s Gabriel Tual secured victory in 1:45.13 ahead of Ireland’s Mark English, who clocked 1:45.15, with Botswana’s Tshepiso Masalela finishing third in 1:45.58.
- Kidali has another opportunity to qualify for the semis in the repechage on Thursday afternoon. The semifinals are on Frida, while the final is on Saturday night.
Kenya’s Emmanuel Wanyonyi and Wycliffe Kinyamal Wednesday sailed through to the semifinals in the 800m of the Paris Olympic Games at the Stade de France.
Wanyonyi took charge of the third heat finishing first in 1:44.64, the fastest time of the day, ahead of Italy’s Catalin Tecuceanu who timed 1:44.80, while Andreas Kramer was third in 1:44.93.
Wanyonyi’s career grew steadily after winning the World Under-20 Championships in Nairobi in 2021, before he went ahead to represent Kenya in the 2022 World Championships where he emerged fourth in the two-lap race.
At the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, he secured a silver medal behind Canada’s Marco Arop.
Currently, Wanyonyi has the second fastest time in the world at 1:41.58, behind Algeria’s Djamel Sedjati with 1:41.46.
From left: Ben Pattison of Britain crosses the line to win heat 5 of the men's 00m Round 1 ahead of Edmund du Plessis of South Africa and Wyclife Kinyamal of Kenya at the Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France on August 07, 2024.
In the fifth heat, Kinyamal finished third after clocking 1:45.86 in a race won by Great Britain’s Ben Pattison, who clocked 1:45.56, with South Africa’s Edmund Du Plessis coming second in 1:45.73.
In the second heat, Kenyan debutante Koitatoi Kidali finished fifth after timing 1:45.84 as France’s Gabriel Tual secured victory in 1:45.13 ahead of Ireland’s Mark English, who clocked 1:45.15, with Botswana’s Tshepiso Masalela finishing third in 1:45.58.
Kidali has another opportunity to qualify for the semis in the repechage on Thursday afternoon. The semifinals are on Frida, while the final is on Saturday night.
