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OREGON22: Kenyan trio looking to upset Ugandans and Ethiopians in 5000m final
Reading Time: 2min | Sun. 24.07.22. | 18:30
The race is expected to gun off at 4:05 am on Monday 25 July.
The hope of all Kenyans will be resting on the able shoulders of Nicholas Kimeli, Jacob Krop, and Daniel Simiu to halt their 17-year wait for a gold medal in the 5000m of the World Athletics Championships.
Gold has proved elusive in the last decade with the last time Kenya mining gold in the discipline being back in 2005 Helsinki when Benjamin Limo cut the tape first ahead of Sileshi Sihine of Ethiopia and Australia’s Craig Mottram.
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The race has been dominated by Ethiopians and Mo Farah who is a triple champion having emerged victorious in Daegu 2011, Moscow 2013, and Beijing 2015.
Kenya’s Nicholas Kimeli who finished first in the heat will face stern opposition from the 5000m record holder Joshua Cheptegei from Uganda who already has gold wrapped around his neck from winning the 10000m in Oregon.
The closest Kenya has come to winning gold in the 12-and-a-half lap race was back in 2007 when Eluid Kipchoge finished second and Caleb Ndiku bagged silver in 2015.
5000m has a stellar field of athletes as the Olympic 10,000m champion Selemon Barega of Ethiopia also made the final alongside Oscar Chelimo who won the first heat by packing a spirited sprint in the final 100m.
Other athletes capable of a surprise are Olympic silver medalist and world bronze medalist Moh Ahmed and Jakob Ingebrigtsen who is fresh from bagging silver in the men's 1500m.
The race is expected to gun off at 4:05 am on Monday 25 July.
