Doha: Kenyan finally bags a podium spot after seven finals

Kenya's Ferguson Cheruiyot Rotich celebrates bronze in the Men's 800m final at the 2019 IAAF Athletics World Championships at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha on October 1, 2019. (Photo by Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP)

After appearing in seven international finals without a medal; Ferguson Rotich finally earned a global title after winning bronze in men’s 800m final at the ongoing World Championships in Doha.

The third-place finish by Rotich on Tuesday night took Kenya’s medal haul to four, two gold and two bronze medals.

Rotich who was the only Kenyan finalist after two of his compatriots, Emmanuel Korir and Ngeno Kipngetich were eliminated in the semi-finals, accelerated at the homestretch to finish third after clocking 1:43.82.  

Prior to Doha worlds, Rotich had appeared in three worlds, two African Championships finals, one Olympics and Commonwealth Games without a medal and expressed his satisfaction with his performance and promised more podium positions in the coming seasons. 

“My aim was to finish the championship with a medal, I’m glad I have accomplished the mission. At least I have achieved my dream to have a medal in my career, ” Rotich who won the Diamond League Trophy in 2016 told the Standard Sports on phone from Doha.

The excited Rotich added:  “After these championships, I will go back home and sit with my coach and plan for Olympics built up.  Now I have courage, I hope to come back next year strong, with this achievement maybe I’ll finish in the gold medal position then.”

The race’s gold medal went to pre-race favorite, Donovan Brazier of America who clocked 1:42.34 – breaking the 32-year-old Championship record which was held by Kenyan Billy Konchella at the 1987 World Championship in Rome, and Johnny Gray’s US record of 1:42.60 set at Koblenz in 1985.

Brazier also became the first US 800m runner – male or female - to win the world title.

As Brazier drove inexorably for the line, Puerto Rico’s Wesley Vazquez who had led from the gun to the bell finally paid for his sustained enterprise and slipped back to fifth place in a time of 1:44.48.

Amel Tuka, that arch-finisher from Bosnia and Herzegovina accelerated through to claim silver in a season’s best of 1:43.47.

“The plan was always to take it on with 300m to go and go from there, no matter what the pace was. I have been listening to my coach (Pete Julian) this entire season. He’s been a great coach to me and I didn’t want to let him down in this last race of the season,” Brazier said.

He added: “I’ve said all season that my goal was to get the gold here and break this record, and that’s what I did. It means the world to me. To be world champion at 22-years-old – I can’t believe it. To be the first from the US to win a World Championship 800m title feels wonderful. I hope I get some love for it back home.”