OREGON22: Simiu, Krop and Kipkorir eye final slots in 5000m

The trio of Nicholas Kipkorir Kimeli, Jakob Krop and Daniel Simiu will be carrying all of Kenya’s hope in reclaiming the 5000m title as they try to restore glory to the country in a race that Kenya has struggled to make a mark in having recently ceded ground to Ethiopia and Uganda.

With Kenya failing to win both in the 2017 and 2019 World Championships, Kimeli and Krop, the fastest and second fastest men over the 5,000m this season with times set at the June 9 Rome Diamond League meet, will be the primary custodians to try and win in the race that was last won in 2005 when Benjamin Limo lifted the title in Helsinki, Finland.

Joined by Simiu, the Kenyan cast will first be seeking to qualify for the finals when they go out for the heats on Friday morning at 0410EAT.

Kimeli will line up in Heat One which will have Olympic champion Joshua Cheptegei of Uganda, who already has a gold around his neck as he successfully defended his 10,000m World Athletics Championships title, as well as 2019 silver medalist Selemon Barega of Ethiopia with the duo presenting the country’s toughest challenge in the race.

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Simiu and Krop will be in Heat Two where opposition is expected from the Ethiopian duo of two-time defending champion Muktar Edris and Yomif Kejelcha with Norwegian ace Jakob Ingebrigtsen, who missed out on gold in his 1500m specialty, seeking to make amends over the longer distance as he lines up in the same heat.

In the two heats, the first 5 of each heat (Q) plus the 5 fastest times (q) will qualify for the final to be held on the last day of action of the games.