Budapest23: Kenyan quartet in hunt for 5000m final qualification

World 5000m silver medalist Jacob Krop, Commonwealth Games silver medalist Nicholas Kimeli, U20 Cross Country champion Ishmael Kirui and Cornelius Kemboi will all be seeking to sail to the 2023 World Championships final when they line up in the semifinal heats on Thursday at the National Athletics Centre in Budapest.

Kemboi and Kimeli are placed in heat one of the semis with Krop and Kirui will go in the subsequent one. The top eight athletes in each heat will advance to the final set for Saturday.

Kimeli, who raced in the 10000m final on Sunday finishing eighth will be hoping to squeeze himself in the final and hunt for the elusive medal having missed out on the podium in the past two editions.

The last season’s Diamond League trophy winner finished eighth in the 2019 edition held in Doha Qatar and was placed seventh last year in Oregon.

Krop, who is also participating in his third World Championships will be hoping to sail to the final and go a step higher on the podium.

Kirui and Kemboi will be debuting at the global scene having made to the team in the trials.

Budapest23: Kenyan quartet qualify to set up a thrilling 5000m final

The four Kenyans will not have an easy sail to the final as the field is laced with fierce competitors in the twelve and half laps race.

Reigning champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen who suffered heartbreak in the 1500m final on Wednesday night has been listed in heat one.

Ingebrigtsen’s bid to claim the world title in the 1500m race was thwarted by Josh Kerr who piped the Norwegian to the gold medal.

Other seasoned athletes who will line up in the 5000m heats include Mohammed Katir of Spain, Ethiopia’s Berihu Aregawi, Canada’s Mohammed Ahmed, former world 10000m silver medalist Yomif Kejelcha among others.

Kerr stuns Ingebrigtsen to take world 1500m gold as Kenyans stumble

Unconfirmed reports indicate that Olympic champion Joshua Cheptegei will not take part after suffering an injury.

The race is expected to gun off at 8pm East African Time.

Budapest 23: Moraa breezes into 800m semis, sets up Mu showdown

Meanwhile, the duo of Emanuel Wanyonyi and Alex Ngeno will be in the hunt for tickets to the 800m final tonight.

The two youngsters won their respective heats in the preliminary round and will hope to replicate the same and sail to the final set for Saturday.

Ngeno will be in heat two with Wanyonyi racing in the next one. The two top athlete and the second fastest losers will book a lane in the final.