Nicholas Kimeli sails through to 5000m final in Tokyo
Kenya's Nicholas Kipkorir Kimeli wins the men's 5000m heats during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo on August 3, 2021.
What you need to know:
- Cheptegei led the group of seven through the bell in 12.32.07 before slowing down to finish fifth, qualification guaranteed, to Spain's Mohamed Kadir (13:30.10) and USA's Paul Chelimo (13:30.15).
- Canada's Justyn Knight (13:30.22) and Uganda's Jacob Kiplimo (13:30.40) were third and fourth with Cheptegei fifth in 13:40.61.
In Tokyo
Nicholas Kimeli sailed to the 5,000 metres final after putting up a commanding performance to win the first semi-final at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo on Tuesday.
Kimeli won the Heat in 13:38:87 ahead of Canada's Mohammed Ahmed(13:38.96) while William Kincaid of the United States (13:39.04) was third. Uganda's Oscar Chelimo (13:39.07) and Bahrain's Birhanu Balew (13:41.62) sealed the other automatic qualifying positions.
Kenya's Nicholas Kipkorir Kimeli wins the men's 5000m heats during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo on August 3, 2021.
The other Kenyan in the heat, Daniel Simiu Ebenyo took a tumble with seven laps to go and even though he recovered immediately to catch up with the leading pack, he couldn't keep up with the pace and finished 10th (13:39.04)outside the automatic qualifying positions.
The front-running Kimeli hit 8:41.12 with five laps to go before he took the lead group past 4200m in 11:46.21.
Kimeli would then hit the ball ahead in 12:43.02 before holding off a late surge from Ahmed to win comfortably and qualify for the final.
Kenya's Nicholas Kipkorir Kimeli wins the men's 5000m heats during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo on August 3, 2021.
In the second heat, Uganda's world record holder over the distance Joshua Cheptegei easily sailed through to the final where he will be hoping to atone for the 10,000m disappointment after winning silver despite being the odds on favourite.
Cheptegei led the group of seven through the bell in 12.32.07 before slowing down to finish fifth, qualification guaranteed, to Spain's Mohamed Kadir (13:30.10) and USA's Paul Chelimo (13:30.15).
Spain's Mohamed Katir (C) Uganda's Joshua Cheptegei (R) and Ethiopia's Tolosa Milkesa Mengesha (L) compete in the men's 5000m heats during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo on August 3, 2021.
Canada's Justyn Knight (13:30.22) and Uganda's Jacob Kiplimo (13:30.40) were third and fourth with Cheptegei fifth in 13:40.61.
Kenya's other representative in the race, Samwel Masai, did not start the race.
