Reigning World Under-20 Champion Edmund Serem and World bronze medalist Abraham Kibiwott sailed through to Monday’s final of the 3000msc on day 1 of the 20th edition of the World Athletics Championships at the Kasumigaoka, Shinjuku National Stadium in Tokyo, Japan.
Serem won heat 1 on Saturday in 8:29.97, ahead of Ethiopia’s Getnet Wale and Japanese Ryuji Miura, who finished in 2nd and 3rd positions, respectively.
Kibiwott qualified from heat 2 despite finishing 5th in 8:27.84, the heat won by Moroccan Salaheddine Ben Yazide after clocking 8:27.21.
Defending champion Soufiane El Bakkali from Morocco eased to victory in heat 3 with the fastest time of 8:26.99, to qualify for Monday’s final, as Simon Koech finished a distant 7th to miss out on the final.
Dismas Otuke
Writes about athletics for KBC Digital.