Kenyan ladies will be keen to defend the 5000m, as the Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi will aim to reclaim the 800m title on the penultimate day of the 20th World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan, on Saturday.
5000m defending champion Faith Kipyegon will aim for another double, having already won the 1500m title in this year’s championship, as she takes to the track for the 12.5-lap race starting at 3:29pm.
The triple Olympic champion over 1500 m will be joined by the double Olympic champion Beatrice Chebet, who is aiming to repeat her Olympic feat after securing gold in 10,000 m in Tokyo.
10km world record holder Agnes Jebet Ngetich completes the Kenyan trio who will chase medals in the final, expecting stiff competition from former world champion in 10,000m Gudaf Tsegay and world silver medallist Nadia Batocletti from Italy, among other competitors.
After winning silver two years ago in Budapest and claiming his first Olympic title over the two-lap race, Wanyonyi will be going for nothing short of a gold medal in Saturday’s final slated for 4:22pm Kenyan time.
Wanyonyi will face familiar foes in the final, including defending champion Canadian Marco Arop, Spaniard Mohamed Attaoui, Algerian Djamel Sedjati and Tshepiso Masalela of Botswana, among others.
Kenya last won the 800m title in 2022 in Oregon through Emmanuel Korir.
Other races involving Kenyans include both men’s 4x100m and 4x400m relay heats, with the finals set for Sunday.
Kenya is still 2nd on the medal table with 4 gold, 1 silver and 2 bronze, while the USA leads with 17 medals: 11 gold, 3 silver and 3 bronze.
