Korir, Ferguson and Ngeno win their heats to book slot in today’s semis

Kenya's Emmanuel Kipkurui Korir (R) waits for the results in the Men's 800m heats at the 2019 IAAF World Athletics Championships at the Khalifa International stadium in Doha on September 28, 2019. [AFP]

Emmanuel Korir led compatriots Ferguson Rotich and Ngeno Kipngetich into the semis of the two-lap race on Saturday.  

After staying behind through the first lap Ngeno, 19, pulled away in the final stretch, opening up his stride to win heat two in 1:46.07. Spaniard Adrian Ben ran 1:46.12 for second. Briton Jamie Webb held on for third. The semis will be run on Sunday.

Ferguson featured in heat four, winning the race in 1:45.98 ahead of American Bryce Hoppel. Tunisian Abdessalem Ayouni was third.

Korir competing in heat five won the race 1:45.16, with Mostafa Smaili of Morocco second. Purto Rican Wesley Vazquez held on for third to get direct qualification to the semis. In summary Korir ran the fastest time in the heats.

Meanwhile Nijel Amos of Botswana pulled out of the 800m due to an Achilles problem.

The 25-year-old was the pre-championship favourite to win gold in the event, and arrived as the fastest man in the world this year, having run 1:41.89 in Monaco Diamond League earlier this season.

The joint-third fastest man of all-time, Amos burst onto the scene when finishing second to David Rudisha’s world record at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Meanwhile, decathlon star Kevin Mayer slammed the decision to stage the World Athletics Championships in Doha, accusing organisers of putting athletes “in jeopardy.”

The 27-year-old -- Olympic silver medalist in 2016 -- said staging the championships in the heat and humidity was a “catastrophe”.

Mayer was speaking after 28 of the 68 runners in the women’s marathon failed to finish after wilting in weather conditions of 32 degrees Celsius (90 degrees Fahrenheit) and humidity of over 70 per cent.

His stinging comments follow those of 50 kilometres walk defending champion Yohann Diniz, who accused the IAAF of treating athletes as ‘idiots’ for making them compete in such conditions. 

Diniz -- who added the walkers were being used as “guinea pigs” -- defends his title later on Saturday, both the men and women’s races get underway (2030GMT).

“Clearly by organising the championship here, they didn’t put the athletes first, they’ve mostly put them in jeopardy,” said Mayer at a press conference on Saturday.

“Now, it’s up to us to not act like princesses and to get on with it anyway but for sure, we’re not at all in the right conditions to perform.”

Mayer, whose own defence of the title he won in London gets started on Wednesday, made no bones about what he thought about the championships.