Timothy Cheruiyot leads Simotwo, Kipsang into 1500m semis

Abel Kipsang

Kenya's Abel Kipsang (second right) sprints to win ahead of second-placed USA's Matt Centrowitz (third right) and third-placed Britain's Jake Wightman (third left) in the men's 1500m heats during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo on August 3, 2021.
 



Photo credit: Giuseppe Cacace | AFP

What you need to know:

  • Cheruiyot, first of the three Kenyans on the track early Tuesday, timed 3:36.01 to finish second to Belgium's Ismael Debjani (3:36.00) while Australia's Oliver Hoare (3:36.09) claimed third-place in the first hear.
  • Cheruiyot, the world champion over the distance, will be hoping to return home with the gold that Kenya last won at the 2008 Olympics.

In Tokyo

World champion Timothy Cheruiyot led compatriots Abel Kipsang and Charles Simotwo into the semi-finals of the men's 1500 metres at the Tokyo Olympics on Tuesday.

Cheruiyot, first of the three Kenyans on the track early Tuesday, timed 3:36.01 to finish second to Belgium's Ismael Debjani (3:36.00) while Australia's Oliver Hoare (3:36.09) claimed third-place in the first hear.

Timothy Cheruiyot

Belgium's Ismael Debjani (second left) crosses the finish line to win ahead of second-placed Kenya's Timothy Cheruiyot (second right) and third-placed Australia's Oliver Hoare (centre) in the men's 1500m heats during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo on August 3, 2021.

Photo credit: Antonin Thuillier | AFP

Cheruiyot, the world champion over the distance, will be hoping to return home with the gold that Kenya last won at the 2008 Olympics.

Kipsang topped in Heat 2, winning in 3:40.68 ahead of Olympics champion Mathew Centrowitz of the USA (3:41.12) while Great Britain's Jake Wightman (3:41.18) was third.

Abel Kipsang

An overview shows Kenya's Abel Kipsang as he crosses the finish line to win in the men's 1500m heats during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo on August 3, 2021.

Photo credit: Antonin Thuillier | AFP

Youngster Simoto sailed through as one of the six fastest qualifiers after finishing a 10th in Heat 3 that was won by Great Britain's Jake Heyward (3:36.14).

Poland's Mercilin Lewandowski was re-instated into the semi-finals after finishing last in Heat 2, after taking a massive tumble in the last 200m.

Timothy Cheruiyot

From left: Qatar's Adam Ali Musab, Ethiopia's Samuel Tefera, Kenya's Timothy Cheruiyot, Australia's Oliver Hoare, Hungary's Istvan Szogi and France's Alexis Miellet compete in the men's 1500m heats during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo on August 3, 2021.

Photo credit: Jewel Samad | AFP