Commonwealth Games: Cheruiyot, Kipsang through to 1500m final as Mokamba books 200m semis spot
Reading Time: 2min | Thu. 04.08.22. | 14:28
The final is set for Saturday
Kenya's duo of Timothy Cheruiyot and Abel Kipsang will continue the hunt for more medals at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, UK after punching tickets to the final of the men's 1500m. Sprint legend Elkanah Nyang'au's son Mike Mokamba of the Kenya Defense Forces also forced his way into the men's 200m semifinal after finishing second in heat three.
Mokamba crossed the line in 20.82 behind homeboy Zhanel Huges of England who stopped the clock at 20.30.
The Olympics silver medalist Cheruiyot came home to a second-place finish in the first heat, stopping the clock at 3:37.82 behind Australia's Oliver Hoare who recorded a time of 3:37.57.
Timothy Cheruiyot has qualified for the #CommonwealthGames2022 men's 1500M final after finishing 2nd in heat 1.
— Carol Radull (@CarolRadull) August 4, 2022
Abel Kipsang finished 3rd in heat 2 and also qualified for the finals.#OriginSport pic.twitter.com/OrHaqVvugy
Jake Heyward of Wales, Scotland's Josh Kerr, and Englishman Elliot Giles took the other automatic spots in the heat, with Canada's William Paulson and Mafori Ryan Mphahlele of South Africa taking the two non-automatic qualification spots as the first heat was faster than the second.
Kipsang, the reigning African champion over the distance, finished third in the second heat to take one of the five available automatic slots in a time of 3:48.63.
Jake Wightman, Matt Stonier, Neil Gourley, Abel Kipsang and Sam Tanner through from the second heat. pic.twitter.com/PE4YEeFQSx
— Fast Running (@FastRunning) August 4, 2022
Recently crowned world champion Jake Wightman of Scotland clocked 3:48.34 to finish first in the second heat ahead of Mathew Stoiner of England, the Kenyan, his compatriot Neil Gourley, and New Zealand's Samuel Tanner.
The 1500m final is set for Saturday.
The 200m semis are set for Friday and gun off at 9:10 PM EAT.
