Agnes Tirop, Hellen Obiri, Lilian Kasait qualify for the women's 5,000m finals

Hellen Obiri of Kenya in action during Heat 2 REUTERS

Kenyans will have three representatives in the women’s 5000 Olympics final on Monday, in Tokyo Japan.

Agnes Tirop Jebet, Lilian Kasait and Hellen Obiri all made it to the finals after finishing second and fifth respectively in Heat 1 with World champion Obiri finishing second in heat 2 in a time of 8:12.25.

Gudaf Tsegay, of Ethiopia, right, crosses the finish line ahead of Hellen Obiri of Kenya, 2nd left, to win a heat in the women's 5,000-meter run at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 30, 2021, in Tokyo. (AP)

Obiri’s heat was won by Gudaf Tsegay of Ethiopia with Italy's Nadia Battocletti placed third. 

However, Burundi's Francine Niyonsaba who finished fourth in  heat 2 to claim a place in the final but was disqualified for line infringement. 

Ethiopian born Dutch runner, Sifan Hassan won the first heat in 14.47.89 while Ethiopians Senbere Teferi and Ejgayehu Taye finished third and fourth respectively.

The final will take place on Monday.

Obiri, a double world champion and Olympic silver-medallist five years ago in Rio, have a realistic chance of winning another double.

She will also be among Kenya's flag bearer in the women's 10,000 metres. 

Results

5000m Women Heat 1:

1. Sifan Hassan

2. Tirop Agnes Jebet

3. Senbere Teferi

 4. Ejgayehu Taye

5. Rengeruk Lilian Kasait

5000m Women Heat 2:

1. Gudaf Tsegay

2. Hellen Obiri

3. Nadia Battocletti

 4. Francine Niyonsaba

5. Elise Cranny

More to follow...