Catch me if you can: Wanyonyi dares opponents as Kenya target 1-2 in 800m

Kenya's Emmanuel Wanyonyi has warned his opponents not to try to keep up with his pace when eight men line up in the 800m final of the World Athletics U20 Championships at Kasarani Stadium today. 

Wanyonyi will team up with his compatriot Noah Kibet who dashed past the media crew after storming into the final after another tactical race by the pre-race favourites.

Wanyonyi, the strongest man in the group, clocked 1:46.15 in his heat with Kibet also winning the other semifinal heat in 1:46.47.

Wanyonyi who was picked from grazing fields, back to the classroom, has set himself a target of winning gold medal in the ongoing championships here at home.

And he wants to do it in style.

"I will go up fast. From gun to tape. That's how we are going to tackle the race. We'll not spare anyone. Let them catch us if they can," warned Wanyonyi.

Meanwhile, Peter Kithome hopes that she will shake off the knee cap injury he picked in the semis when he lines up in the men's 400m hurdles final today.

"Let's wait and see how it will go," said Kithome who picked up the injury in the eighth hurdle but still finished as the fastest loser in his heat.

Kenya's other medal hope lies in the quartet of Wanyonyi, Kimeu, Chemelil and Kithome  as they seek to stop Jamaica (3:05.82), Botswana (3:06.33) and Nigeria (3:06.70) in the men's 4×400m relays.

Another team to watch is Ecuador after they ran a new national record (3:06.94) in the semis.