OREGON22: Kimeli, Krop and Simiu punch tickets to 5000m finals as Yego bows out of javelin
Reading Time: 2min | Fri. 22.07.22. | 05:13
One of the three will be hoping to bag a gold medal come Sunday 24 July.
Kenyan representatives at the ongoing World Athletics Championships, Nicholas Kimeli, Jacob Krop, and Daniel Simiu were unscathed after they all sealed a place in the 5000m finals after thrilling semis in Oregon, USA on Friday morning.
In recent years, Kenya has laboured in the 5000m race following the emergence of Ugandans and Ethiopians but Kimeli, Krop and Simiu will have Kenyans' hopes on their shoulders.
In fact, the last time Kenya mined Gold in the discipline was back in 2005 when Benjamin Limo lifted the title in Helsinki, Finland as the 17-year drought looks to be quenched.
In the opening heat, Kimeli and Ethiopian long-distance runner Selemon Barega had a slow start to the race in the opening lap as they trailed in the chasing pack but as the race progressed they clawed their way into the leader's pack.
Uganda’s Oscar Chelimo however had the last kick as he ran on the outside lane to put some distance between himself and second-placed Grant Fisher who was enjoying home support, making the locals ecstatic with a second-place finish.
10,000m Olympic gold medalist Selemon Barega came in third as Joshua Cheptegei and Somali-born American Abdihamid Nur completed the top five automatic qualification spots.
In the second heat, Jakob Krop and Daniel Simiu had a change of tactics as they kept tabs with the leading pack right from when the gun sounded.
Luis Grijalva from Guatemala went against the grain as he broke off the leading pack and opened up a 70m gap with Simiu opting to close down the gap and managed to effortlessly pass him with four laps to go.
With two laps to go Krop and Simiu lead the race but Simiu dropped off the pace with Krop finishing a distance first with Jakob Ingebrigtsen coming second as Grijalva, Yomif Kejelcha and Mohammed Ahmed rounded up the top five.
Simiu looked to have burned himself out trying to catch Grijalva but ultimately sealed a place in the semis alongside Kimeli who finished sixth in heat one.
In javelin, 2015 World Champion Julius Yego who is out of form failed to qualify for the final after only managing to throw a distance of 79.60.
