Nairobi — All Kenyan athletes involved easily progressed off the preliminary rounds as the World Athletics Under-20 Championships gunned off in Cali, Colombia on Monday evening.
In the women's 3,000m steeplechase, Faith Cherotich who won bronze when Kenya hosted the event in Nairobi last year posted the quickest qualification time, clocking 9:38.18 to progress to the final after easily winning Heat two.
Cherotich was part of a breakout group of three who dictated the tempo of the race in the early proceedings. She managed to beat Ethiopian Meseret Yeshaneh with a spirited sprint in the final lap.
Yeshaneh finished slightly over three second behind while Tunisia's Rihab Dhahri finished third.
In a very slow Heat One, Kenya's Pamela Kosgei finished second in 10:09.89 behind Ethiopia's Sembo Almayew who ran a solo race for most of the evening, timing 9:52.65.
In the women's 800m, Nelly Chepchirchir won her heat in a time of 2:06.66 ahead of Veronika Sadek of Slovakia. Compatriot Evaline Chepkoech finished third in her heat in a time of 2:07.69 and managed to progress to the semis as an automatic qualifier.
In the men's 1500m, Daniel Kimaiyo and Reynold Kipkorir both won their heats to book a semi-final slot with the two fastest times off the first round.
Kimaiyo timed 3:42.69 to win his heat ahead of Ethiopian Adihana Kasaye. Kipkorir commanded his heat and won with an easy time of 3:40.96, the fastest qualifying time off the preliminary round.
