Huge expectation as Kenyans chase medals in Budapest meet

It will be another moment of riveting action as Kenyan athletes battle for medals at the 19th World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, today.

The opening track event on Wednesday night – the first of the women’s 5000m heats – provided a river of hope as women’s 5000m charges in three-time world 1500m champion Faith Kipyegon, reigning world champion Beatrice Chebet, 2019 world silver medalist Margaret Chelimo Kipkemboi and 2019 Africa Games bronze medalist Lilian Kasait  all sailed into the finals.

Chebet, the reigning world cross country champion, won her heat in 14:57.70, 0.02 ahead of Gudaf Tsegay.

In the second heat Kipyegon finished second behind Sifan Hassan.  

Jackline Chepkoech was fastest qualifier for the women’s 3,000m steeplechase final in 9:16.41. Other heat winners were Bahrain’s Winfred Yavi (9:19.18) and Kenya’s Faith Cherotich (9:19.55) while world record holder Beatrice Chepkoech finished second.

Meanwhile 800m Commonwealth Games champion Mary Moraa will be involved in a lone battle today when she races in the 800m semi-finals.

The two other Kenyans Vivian Kiprotich and Naomi Korir failed to make the top three in their respective heats hence missing out on the semi-finals.

Julius Yego, the 2015 world javelin champion, will carry his 78.43m mark he set at the national trials on July 8 to the pitch today.

Yego, 36, will be up against a quality field including Grenada's Anderson Peters, Jakub Vadlejch of the Czech Republic, Germany's Julian Weber and Neeraj Chopra of India. 

Elsewhere it was a bad night for Kenya on Wednesday in the men’s 1500m final.

World indoor bronze medalist Abel Kipsang finished in fourth place while Reynold Kipkorir was eighth in the race that was won by Britain's Josh Kerr who beat Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen.