Odira, Ngeno and Kibet sail into 800m semifinals in Nanjing

Africa 800m silver medallist Lilian Odira, will be among the three Kenyans who sailed to the semi-final in the 800m races at the ongoing World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China.

The 25 year-old who reached the semifinals and shattered her personal best by clocking 1:58.53 at the summer Olympics will be joined by former world U20 800m silver medallist Alexander Ngeno Kiprotich and former World U20 20 800m bronze medallist Noah Kibet.

Odira finished second in heat one to make it to the semi-finals set for the weekend when she clocked 2:04.46 behind the six time Portuguese National champion, Patricia Silva who won the race in 2:04.44 as the 2018 Africa 800m bronze medallist Habitam Alem of Ethiopian finishing third in 2:04.48.

Another Kenyan Vivian Chebet Kiprotich, an Olympic finalists failed to make the cut after finishing 4th in heat 2 in a new personal best of 2:05.11. The heat was won by Ethiopian Tsige Duguma in 2:04.52 ahead of Switzerland’s Audrey Werro in 2:04.91 with Spaniard Lorea Ibarzabal coming home in third in 2:05.10.

Returning into the championships for the second time, Kibet, the winner of a bronze medal winner at the 2021 World Indoor championships in Belgrade finished second in heat 2 in 1:48.31 behind American Josh Hoey who pulled 1:48.14 with Italian Giovanni Lazzaro finishing in third in 1:48.75.

Kiprotich also managed second position in heat 5 to make it to the second last round after crossing the finish line in 1:48.17 with Czech Republic’s Jakub Dudycha winning in 1:48.04 and Poland Patryk Sieradzki finishing third in 1:48.20.

It was disappointing for former 800m champion Collins Kipruto who failed to make the cut when he finished 5th in heat 2 in 1:50.08. The race was won by Ugandan Tom Dragdriga in1:49.09 and was followed by Algeria’s Heithem Chenitef in 1:49.16 with Spaniard Elvin Josue Canales coming home in third in 1:49.44.