World Athletics Championships 2025: Emmanuel Wanyonyi and Kevin Kimtai into 800m Semis as Alex Ngeno Misses Out

Olympics champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi easily made it through to the semi-final of the men’s 800m following victory in his semi-final heat at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan on Tuesday.

Wanyonyi, who is looking for his first world title after winning silver in Budapest, Hungary two years ago, clocked 1:45.05 to win Heat 5 ahead of Italian Francesco Pernici, who managed a time of 1:45.11 in second place, while Mark English from Ireland completed the podium in 1:45.13.

Meanwhile, Kipeng’etich Ngeno missed out on a place in the semi-final after a disappointing sixth place finish in Heat 1 that was won by Spaniard David Barroso.

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Barroso won the race in a time of 1:44.94 with Algerian Djamel Sedjati, the Olympics bronze medalist, in second place in 1:45.01, while Botswana’s Kethobogile Haingura stopped the clock at 1:45.02 for third place.

There were no such problems for Kevin Kimtai as he made it through from Heat 2 after finishing second.

Kimtai clocked 1:45.35 behind Mohamed Attaoui of Spain, who won it in 1:45.23, while defending champion Marco Arop of Canada was third in 1:45.39.

In the final heat, Kenya’s Nicholas Kebenei sneaked into the semis as one of the fastest losers after losing out on an automatic place at the line.

Kebenei was in the lead for most of the race and appeared headed for a win only to run out of steam at the final stretch, allowing his rivals to close in, as he finished fourth in 1:44.91, in a race won by American Donovan Brazier (1:44.66) with Algerian Slimane Moula (1:44.77) and Marino Bloudek from Croatia (1:44.78) in second and third in that order.

Wanyonyi, Kimtai and Kebenei therefore vary Kenya’s hopes in the race with the Olympics champion seen as heavy favourite to win gold against an expected stiff challenge from Sedjati and Arop.