Kenyans distance runners can be beatenjust ask Mohammed Al-Salhi, who broke the championship record to out-last Abraham Kipngetich and Bernard Kiptanui Kiptum in a frantic 800 metres final here, clocking 1min 48.79sec, bringing the crowd in the packed main stand to their feet.
Al-Salhi had arrived in Canada with the best time in the world this year, but the expectation had been that both Kenyans, with times achieved at altitude, would have matters all their own way.
And as Ngeno sprinted from the gun, reaching 200 in 25.20sec, the race seemed to be going to expectations, with the singular exception that Ngeno was taking most of the field with him, with Al-Salhi tucked in in second place ahead of Kiptum, Florin Gania, of Romania and the American, Michael Haddan.
With the bell reached in 53.05, the feeling was that something must give, but if anything the Kenyans upped the pace down the back straight for the final time, as Michael Rimmer, of Britain, sixth at 400m, started to move through the field in pursuit of a medal.
Reaching 600m in 1:21.10, there was no separating the leading trio.
But it was the Saudi who outstayed the Kenyans, as they faltered in the final 100, landing a famous victory, with Kiptum taking silver in 1:49.14 and Ngeno the bronze in 1:49.17 and Rimmer, who may now go to the European junior championships in Finland, a personal best of 1:49.61 - all four inside the previous Championship Record.
