(SATSports) – Kenya’s Ferguson Rotich and Emmanuel Korir carry Africa’s hopes for an Olympic medal in the Men’s 800m race, after becoming the only athletes from the continent to qualify for the final race to be held on Wednesday, August 4.
Rotich qualified top of his group in the semi-final race, clocking a time of 1:44.04.
Korir on the other hand qualified second from his group in a time of 1:44.74, behind Poland’s Patryk Dobek who posted a time of 1:44.60.
Nijel Amos of Botswana failed to qualify after he tripped against Isaiah Jewett of the United States with just 150 meters to go.
Rotich and Ferguson will hope to retain the Gold medal for Kenya, which has won the title in the past three consecutive Olympics.
Legendary David Rudisha, who won the last two Olympic 800m Golds, is not participating in the Tokyo Olympics. Before Rudisha, another Kenyan, Wilfred Bungei took top honors in the Beijing 2008 Games.
Team Kenya is yet to win a medal at the ongoing Tokyo Olympics, but is banking on the track events to change its fortunes.
So far, South Africa, Tunisia and Ethiopia are the only African countries that have won Gold medals at the Games.
