World Championships: Teenage star Wanyonyi bags silver in 800m

Kenya's Emmanuel Wanyonyi.[Courtesy]

World U20 800m champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi on Saturday won silver in the men’s 800m final at the ongoing World Athletics Championships in Budapest.

Wanyonyi dropped to second after Canadian Marco Arop's tactic of running from the back paid off after the bell when he sprinted past the teenager to win in 1:44.24.

It was an improvement for the 24-year-old Sudan-born Arop who finished third last year in Oregon.

Wanyonyi,19, who finished fourth last year clocked 1:44.53 for his improved silver medal.

Commonwealth 800m bronze medalist Ben Pattison won bronze again for Great Britain.

Meanwhile, the country’s dancing queen Mary Moraa is focused on a gold medal for Kenya after a stellar storm to victory in her Heat 3 during the 800m semi-final on Friday night.

The Commonwealth champion is looking to improve her bronze medal in Eugene last year and join the list of Kenya’s glorious women in 800m.

Moraa cruised 1:58.48 to win Heat 3 ahead of USA’s Athing MU, who ran 1:58.78. Uganda's Halimah Nakaayi clocked 1:58.89.  She is the lonely Kenyan in the two-lap race final.

“I am going into the final knowing that it will be tough. The main focus will be to control the pace. I am prepared for the final and I hope to be in good shape. I will be thankful for any medal but the focus is gold,” Moraa said ahead of the final.