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Kenyans faced setbacks in Nanjing as key athletes exited early, impacting the nation’s medal hopes at the global event.
Kenya's medal ambitions at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing took a major hit on Saturday after all three of the country's representatives in the 800m category—Lilian Odira, Alex Ngeno Kipngetich and Noah Kibet—were eliminated at the semi-final stage, ending hopes of podium finishes in the middle-distance event.
Lilian Odira, who had impressed in the heats to reach the women’s 800m semi-final, struggled in her race and finished a disappointing sixth in Heat 1, clocking 2:16.12—far outside the top three required for qualification.
The race was dominated by Ethiopia’s Tsige Duguma and Nigist Getachew, along with Portugal’s Patricia Silva, all of whom booked their slots in the final with sub-2:05 performances
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Odira, a silver medallist at the African Championships, had entered the semis full of optimism but was unable to match the pace set by her competitors in a tactical and high-tempo heat. Her elimination now leaves Kenya without a finalist in the women’s 800m at the indoor global showpiece.
The disappointment extended to the men’s 800m, where both Alex Ngeno Kipngetich and Noah Kibet failed to progress past the semi-finals.
Kipngetich, the reigning African champion, clocked 1:47.53 to finish sixth in Heat 3, while Kibet was fourth in Heat 1 with a time of 1:48.90. The top two in each heat earned automatic qualification, making the Kenyan duo’s times insufficient to continue.
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Their exit marks a stark contrast to the promise shown in Friday’s heats, where both had secured top-three finishes.
But Saturday’s semis featured a stronger field, with USA’s Josh Hoey blazing through in 1:45.23, the fastest time of the round, and compatriot Brandon Miller also making the cut alongside finalists from Uganda, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Spain.
Kenya’s last hope in the middle-distance events now rests on Susan Ejore, who qualified for the women’s 1,500m final after finishing third in her heat with a time of 4:12.41.
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The final will take place on Sunday, with Ejore carrying the nation’s final hopes in the indoor competition’s middle-distance races. Her compatriot Dorcus Ewoi was unable to travel to Nanjing due to documentation issues.
Elsewhere, Purity Gitonga is set to compete in the women’s 3,000m final from 2:15 pm today, while Cornelius Kemboi will take to the track for the men’s 3,000m final at 2:33 pm. Both athletes will be aiming to salvage Kenya’s medal tally at the championships.
Kenya sent a team of nine athletes—four women and five men—to the global event, which concludes on Sunday.
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