TOKYO, Japan, Sept 13 – Kenya will have two athletes in the men’s 3000m steeplechase final after Simon Koech was eliminated in the Heats, while compatriots Edmund Serem and Abraham Kibiwot sailed through in the Tokyo World Athletics Championships.
Serem dominated Heat 1 to win in 8:29.97, crossing the line ahead of Ethiopia’s Getnet Wale, who qualified from second in 8:80.14, while home boy Ryuji Miura from Japan closed the top three in 8:30.43.
In Heat 2, the Olympic bronze medallist Abraham Kibiwot had to work hard to scoop the last automatic slot after finishing fifth in 8:27.84 in a race won by Salaheddine Ben Yazide of Morocco (8:37.21), who beat Geordie Beamish from New Zealand (8:27.23) while Ethiopian Samuel Firewu (8:27.54) crossed the line third.
In the last Heat, it was a tough outing for Kenyan Koech, who faded to seventh (8:31.80) in a race won by defending champion Soufiane El Bakkali of Morocco (8:26.99), beating Ethiopian Lamecha Girma to second place (8:27.79) while Daniel Michalski came third in 8:28.76.
Only the top five booked the automatic slot to the final slated for Monday, September 15.
