L. MathekaRabat DL: Star-studded 800m field as five Kenyans clash
Reading Time: 2min | Sat. 04.06.22. | 15:30
The race is a precursor to the highly-anticipated World Championships qualifiers where all five and more are expected to feature.
An Olympic champion, a silver medalist, a World Under-20 champion, a former world indoor tour champion and a former world 600m indoor record-holder, all Kenyan all in one race.
This is the field at the Rabat Diamond League (DL) men's 800m where Emmanuel Korir, the Olympics champion takes on Ferguson Rotich in a field that also has, Emmanuel Wanyonyi, Collins Kipruto and Michael Saruni.
Thrown in 2012 Olympics silver medalist Nijel Amos and Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Amel Tuka, who has a personal best of 1:42.51, albeit from 2015 and you have yourself a world-class race in your hands.
The 17-year-old World champion, Wanyonyi, who earned victory in the 800m at this week's Continental Tour Gold meeting in Ostrava in 1:44.15 heads to the race as the fastest on the field.
In a previous interview, Wanyonyi said his target is to represent the country in Oregon for the World Championships and was quick to note that having the best two-lap runners in the country will not deter him from booking his ticket to the global championship.
He is followed by Kipruto who managed to dip under 1:45 with a 1:44.58 in his season-opening race in Ostrava, winning his heat. He was also in action in Montreuil International meeting in France on Thursday night where he won in 1:45.22.
Korir, who had not raced since his Olympics winning race where he led a Kenyan 1-2 with Rotich bagging silver found the going tough finishing sixth in a season-opening 1:46.29 in the French event on Thursday.
The other sub 1:45 runner this season is Botswana's Nijel who is expected to challenge for a podium place in the star-studded race. He holds the fastest Personal Best time of 1:41.73.
