Men’s 800m: Kenyan keeps hope alive in today’s final

Nation turns to Bett for glory

All eyes will be on the World Under-20 champion after Korir and Rotich fail to qualify.

Fancied by many to succeed World 800m record holder David Rudisha, World Under-20 champion Kipyegon Bett gave a gun-to-tape performance in the third semi-final, winning in 1:45.03.

Born in Kericho, the county that produced 1968 Mexico Olympics 800m silver medallist, Wilson Chumo, Bett’s talent was spotted by legendary coach Japhet Kemei while he was still a pupil at Kiptere Primary School.

And when athletes parade in tonight’s final, all eyes will be on Bett, Kenya’s only representative in the race.

The biggest upset came in Sunday’s semi-final, where Kenya’s Emmanuel Korir was left shell-shocked. The US-based university student hadn’t lost an individual race in any distance - heats included - before Sunday night and many had seen him as a sure bet to qualify for the final.

But the overwhelming pre-race favourite became the biggest casualty of the semis following his loss of steam in the 100m home straight as he seemed to struggle with a slight limp. He wound up fourth in 1:46.08.

“I had an injury after the preliminary rounds. I have a hip injury and wasn’t at my best” said Korir, who has a world lead time this year of 1:43.10.

Another Kenyan, Ferguson Rotich, the 2016 Diamond League Trophy winner, also failed to qualify after finishing third in 1:46.49.

The rush for gold promises to be full of fireworks in today’s 11.35pm final.

Ethiopia’s 2013 world champion Mohamed Aman, who ran a season’s best of 1:45.40, finished second behind Bett and will be looking for his second word title.

Poland’s Adam Kszczot, who won silver in the Beijing Worlds, ran his trademark even-paced race to progress through in 1:46.24 ahead of Botswana’s Nijel Amos in 1:46.29.

Amos won silver as an 18-year-old behind Rudisha’s world record-setting triumph on the same track during the Olympics in 2012, but struggled with injuries afterwards. He arrived in London in great form, having dominated the IAAF Diamond League series this season.

Brandon McBride of Canada, who acted as a de facto pacemaker in second semi-final, kept his form to win in 1:45.53. Great Britain’s Kyle Langford was second at 1:45.53, while Polish’s Marcin Lewandowski finished third clocking 1:45.93.