On the fast tracks, Ferdinand Omanyala failed to make the men's final as he finished 7th in the men's semi finals
The women’s 3000m steeplechase final on August 6th will be very competitive featuring, a world champion, Olympic Champion and world record holders as well as youngster Faith Cherotich. 20-year-old Cherotich was second in her heat won by reigning champion Peruth Chemutai while Beatrice Chepkoech won her heat. Jackline Chepkoech – who battled a whole year of injury did not go past round one. The women’s round was the opener of day 4 of the athletics programme.
Faith Cherotich maybe competing at the Olympics for the first time, but she already owns global medals in 3000m steeplechase– she is the bronze medalist from 2023 World Championships, World U20 campion and the rising star from last year.
“I feel nice I have run the semis; my target was the final. I felt good my first running at the Olympics, already I am in the final and hope to run well. I am more motivated being world bronze medalist and world rising star. Now I am not afraid running with the seniors. Faith motivates me a lot,”
“In round 1, I almost got boxed, I had to find my way out and kick after the last barrier. This has taught me “nitapiga one-way kwa final,” Faith said.
The fastest woman in the distance, Beatrice Chepkoech who won her heat revealed she was trying her luck as she has been unwell for the past three weeks.
“It was about me trying my best, I have not been feeling good in the last three weeks, I have been going through a lot, I had pneumonia, so I was trying out today,”
“I was not expecting to make it into the final because I developed shin injury on Monday. For the final, it will be how my body responds,”
In the 800m, world champion Mary Moraa is the only Kenyan who has made the final scheduled for Monday. Moraa, bandaged on both legs with ice cubes after the event to cool the muscles and aid in recovery, watched debutant Lilian Odira’s semifinal semi sitting on the floor of the mixed zone with the hope she would join her in the final. Lilian did not make it.
“I think in a race all of us have been training, waiting to see what will happen. Right now, I can’t say I am in the best shape but I am in the final, we just wait for tomorrow,” said Moraa who was eliminated in the semi finals at the Tokyo Olympic Games.
It was a very difficult Olympic debut for 400m specialist Zablon Ekwam who suffered a muscle pull at the bend forcing him to stop and go down on his stomach.
“It was not easy but injury is part of the game. It happened to me today, I have to accept it and I have to wait for another 4 years. Being here is an achievement, everyone has been backing me, this was the time to show up, unfortunately it didn’t go the way we expected. I know it is going to be a tough journey but I will have to handle it,” Ekwam said.
Olympic silver medallist Timothy Cheruiyot and African Brian Komen squeezed into the men’s 1500m with sixth and fourth place finish in their respective semis.
Women’s 5000m and 800m Kenya’s medal hunt
Faith Kipyegon, Beatrice Chebet and Margaret Chelimo and Mary Moraa will chase Kenya’s gold medals on Monday in the 5000m and 800m finals slated for 22.15 and 22.47 respectively.
On the fast tracks, Ferdinand Omanyala was bundled out of the men’s 100m final. Lining up in star-studded heat 3 which included eventual winner Jamaican Kishane Thompson, Japanese Abdul Hakim Sani Brown, American Fred Kerley and Canadian Andre De Grasse, Omanyala finished a distant 7th in a time of 10.08. Kishane and Kerley advanced to the final where silver and bronze respectively.
Heartbroken, Omanyala walked past the mixed zone looking down.