TOKYO 2020: Kimeli to carry Kenya’s hope for a medal in 5000m

National trials winner Nicholas Kimeli will be Kenya’s sole representative in the Olympics men's 5000m final as he looks to break Kenya’s duck of missing out on gold in the distance since 1988 as his compatriots Daniel Simiu and Samwel Masai were bundled out of the competition.

The World Athletics Championships 2019 finalist whose only race in the distance this year, outside Kenya, was a second-place finish in Gateshead in 13:10.11, a season-best, behind Spain’s Mohamed Katir qualified for the final set for Friday at 3 pm after finishing top of the first heat in a time of 13:38.87.

After the initial laps of the race where all the jostling for positions happens, Kimeli displayed excellent front running, dictating the pace of the race as Simiu kept in the middle of the pack. 

Six minutes into the race, with seven laps to go, Simiu was tripped and he came tumbling down but was quick to pick himself up and race back to the leading pack. Determined to see his dream of an Olympic medal come true, the Kenyan held on but he looked to struggle and seemed to be in pain as his compatriot Kimeli began stretching the field.

With two laps on the race and Kimeli firmly planted in the lead, Simiu began to slow down and took the bell in fifth place. As the rest of the field came charging in the final lap, the 25-year old was unable to keep up as he went on to finish tenth in 13:41.64. Canada's Mohammed Ahmed finished in second place in 13:38.96 with USA's William Kincad coming in third in a time of 13:39.04.

Masai who was in the second heat won by Katir in 13:30.10 did not start. 10,000m silver and bronze medalists Joshua Cheptegei and Jacob Kiplimo qualified in sixth and fifth positions respectively.