Youngster Emmanuel Wanyonyi carries Kenya's hopes in 800m final
Kenya's Emmanuel Wanyonyi competes in the men's 800m semi-final during the World Athletics Championships at the National Athletics Centre in Budapest on August 24, 2023.
What you need to know:
- Canadian Marco Arop, who won bronze in 800m in Oregon, won the heat in 1:44.02 ahead of Algerian world 800m silver medallist Djamel Sedjati in 1:44.49.
- Africa champion Simane Moula, also from Algeria, claimed the first semi-final heat in1:43.93.
World Under-20 800 metres champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi will be Kenya’s only representative in the men's 800m final at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary.
Wanyonyi rallied from behind with the pack hitting the bell at 49.30 seconds before taking the lead with 200m to go to win the third semi-final heat in one minute and 43.83 seconds.
Wanyonyi, making his second appearance at the world championships after finishing fourth last year in Oregon, United States of America, brushed aside Ben Adrián of Spain to second place in 1:43.92.
Both claimed the automatic place in the final due to Kenyan champion Alex Ngéno sinking to eighth place in the second semi-final heat in 1:45.56 to exit.
Canadian Marco Arop, who won bronze in 800m in Oregon, won the heat in 1:44.02 ahead of Algerian world 800m silver medallist Djamel Sedjati in 1:44.49.
Africa champion Simane Moula, also from Algeria, claimed the first semi-final heat in1:43.93.
Wanyonyi now carries the enormous weight of having to win the title Emmanuel Korir recaptured for Kenya in Oregon last year in the final scheduled for Saturday. Korir lost in the preliminaries.
