L. MathekaKibet carrying Kenya's hopes for 800m medal
Reading Time: 2min | Sat. 19.03.22. | 13:56
The race is scheduled for 21.10pm EAT
He has shown he has what it takes to face the best in the world, but can Noah Kibet defy the odds to medal in the men's 800m World Indoor Championships final in Belgrade?
The 17-year old unleashed a strong finishing kick in heat one on Friday 18 March, to move from third in the final lap to win his heat in 1:48.31 and qualify for the final where he solely carries Kenya's hopes for a medal.
Compatriot Collins Kipruto was not as lucky as he finished fourth in his heat, after a slight ankle twist saw him lose his momentum, to miss out.
In his post race interview, Kibet says he had to work hard to come out of his lane and qualify promising to do better in the final for a medal.
In the absence of Britain’s Elliot Giles, who took victory on the World Athletics Indoor Tour after winning in Madrid earlier this month in 1:45.43, and was a clear favourite did not start in the heats leaving the final race wide open.
Bryce Hoppel, the 2019 indoor and outdoor NCAA champion who was fourth in the world final in 2019 and was ultra impressive when winning the US indoor title in 1:45.30 last month is a big contender.
Both US male half-milers also made their respective final as Isaiah Harris comfortably took the final heat in 1:47.00 where @BryceHoppel was runner-up in 1:48.77 behind Noah Kibet in 1:48.31 in the opening one as only the top two from each heat qualified in a tough format.
— Costas Goulas (@LsabreAvenger) March 18, 2022
Runner-up there was Isaiah Harris, who booked his place in Belgrade with a season’s best of 1:46.30 and is also in the final.
Sweden’s Andreas Kramer has turned in strong runs on the circuit this season, most notably his runner-up finish in Torun in 1:45.71, while Eliott Crestan set a Belgian indoor record recently with 1:46.11 to win his national title.
