NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 30 – Kenya’s Hellen Obiri, Lilian Kasait and Agnes Tirop have all progressed to the final of the 5,000m at the Olympic Games in Tokyo after coming through unscathed from the heats.
Tirop finished second in her heat behind Sifan Hassan while Kasait was fifth in the same heat picking up the last available slot. Obiri also finished second in her heat behind Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay.
The trio will now look to clinch the title with Obiri especially hungry for the crown, the Olympic title being the only silverware missing from her cabinet.
In her heat, Obiri put up a good finishing kick in the final 50m to wade off a surging group of four to cross the line in 14:55.77 with Ethiopian Gudaf winning in 14:55.74.
She had run a conserved race all through, seemingly conserving energy knowing she needs to give her all in the final. She stuck to the leading pack most of the race and was up top with wo laps to go. Tsegay only hopped to the front at the bell, but couldn’t do much damage to Obiri’s qualification.
In the first heat, Hassan, one of the favourites in the final stuck to the back of the group all race, only to sprint up with 300m to go and win the heat in a fast time of 14:47.89.
Tirop finished second in a time of 14:48.01, sticking to Sifan’s wing to ensure she went through.
With no pressure, Kasait secured fifth place in 14:50.36, faster than Gudaf’s winning time from the second heat.
