Kidali fails to make 800m semifinals after unsuccessful bid in the repechage
By Michael Kirwa |
Emmanuel Wanyonyi and Wycliffe Kinyamal are Kenya's remaining hopes in the men's 800 metres at the 2024 Paris Olympics after Koitatoi Kidali failed to qualify for the semifinals. Despite his efforts, Kidali was eliminated after finishing sixth in his repechage heat. The focus now shifts to the semifinals, where Wanyonyi and Kinyamal will compete for a spot in the final.
Emmanuel Wanyonyi and Wycliffe Kinyamal have been left to carry the country's flag in the men's 800 metres at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games after Koitatoi Kidali failed to meet the qualification criteria in his repechage round race on Thursday afternoon at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, Paris.
Kidali finished sixth with a time of 1:46.37 in Heat Two of the repechage round.
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The repechage round featured four heats, with athletes scrambling for six semifinal slots. Athletes who won their races qualified for the semifinals automatically. The remaining two slots went to the two athletes with the fastest times.
Kidali failed on both fronts, bringing an end to his adventure in Paris, which started with a fifth-place finish in Heat Two of the Round One races on Wednesday.
In today's race, Kidali got his tactics wrong. He was first boxed in on the inside lane after the athletes merged to run in a single group when they cleared the first 200 metres of the race.
Kidali remained boxed in until the bell, when he finally managed to break loose. However, even then, he did not quickly make a move forward until the final 300 metres, when he increased his pace to take the lead.
That decision backfired as he faded in the final 150 metres, unable to summon enough energy to maintain his lead.
As he struggled to stay in front, Kidali was helpless as five athletes overtook him, with Mexico's Jesús Tonatiú López going on to win the race with a time of 1:45.13, qualifying for the semifinals automatically.
The semifinals of the men's 800 metres will take place on Friday, with the first semifinal starting at 12:30 p.m. EAT.
The stage will feature three races in which runners will fight to finish in the top two positions to qualify for the finals automatically. The remaining athletes will hope that their times are among the two fastest to join the other six in the final.
Wanyonyi and Kinyamal will discover later today which semifinal they will compete in.
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