Alfred Keter joins Patrick Rono in 800m final in global contest today

BY JONATHAN KOMEN

Alfred Keter will team up with Africa Youth bronze medalist Patrick Rono in 800m final in the World Youth Championships in Ukraine tomorrow.

Keter qualified in the semi-finals onThursday night in a personal best time of 1:48.38 ahead of Mamush Lencha (1:48.68) of Ethiopia and Great Britain’s Kyle Langford 1:48.85, pushing the two into posting personal best times.

Rono, a KCSE candidate at Kiptome High in Kuresoi, also ran an all-time best mark of 1:49.50 to win heat three, beating Oussama Nabil of Morocco (1:49.95) and Marc Reuther of Germany (1:50.08).

Ian Mutuku and Sampao Alex will be seeking to expand Kenya’s lean sprints trophy cabinet when they line up in 400m final at 7:50pm tonight.

Mutuku, a student at Mamba Secondary in Machakos, eased into the final on Thursday night in 46.87m, finishing second behind Mohammed Nasir Abass (46.78) of Qatar.

But Sampao finished fourth in heat one in 46,83 to secure her berth in the final as the fastest loser.

The two boys will be out to improve Alphas Kishoyian’s silver medal he won at the 2011 showpiece in Lille, France.

Geoffrey Kipkoech Cheruiyot will also be hunting Kenya’s silverware in 400m hurdles as he lines up in the final at 7.50pm.

Kipkoech, who was an after-thought inclusion in the national team, finished sixth in 51.01 personal best on Thursday night as the fastest loser.

He will be seeking to improve Jeremiah Mutai’s silver medal he won in Bressanone, Italy, in 2009.

The student at Nairobi’s Riruta Central will take on Jamaica’s Okeen Williams (50.53) and Chinese Yang Wang (50.72) and Kenneth Selmon (50.95) of USA.