Robby ANDREWS (USA)2nd in HEAT 11:50.80
I didn’t know what to expect. It’s the world championships. It’s a good competition and I look forward to tomorrow. After the US Championships, I got back into training and I feel good now, and hopefully Cas (Casimir Loxsom) can get through. Go USA.
Anthony ROMANIW (CAN) - 4th in HEAT 1 - 1:51.00
I wanted to stay up near the front and try to make a move when the American, Robby (Robby Andrews) would make a move. I thought I’d be a little farther ahead when he actually did but I waited way too long and I didn’t make any effort to stay in the top half. I don’t know why. It’s just one of those days. That’s the race.
[About making the semis on time) I don’t think I will. If I do, I will be happy with that result. But right now...I’ll just leave it up in God’s hands right now.
Dickson Kipsang TUWEI (KEN) 1st in HEAT 2 - 1:49.84 (SB)
I feel fine. Today I’m qualifying, and then the semi-finals. It was easy. The weather was good. I like to run - and I’m going for the gold in the World Junior Championships.
Mohamed AL-GARNI (QAT) - 2nd in HEAT 2 - 1:49.95
I feel good. I’m a bit tired after last night - the 1500 metres - but the most important thing for me was just to qualify. That was the first test.
I need to go for a jog, I have to get rested. I have to get ready for tomorrow. The semi-final is not easy.
It’s good, I’m in the semi-finals with Hamza. It’s good.
David Mutinda MUTUA (KEN) - 1st in HEAT 3 - 1:49.37 (SB)
I’m good. I want to break the world junior record. I want to make 1:40.
It was okay, the race was good. The weather is good for running. I pray to God to give me the power so I can finish the race.
Hamza DRIOUCH (QAT) – 2nd in HEAT 3 – 1:49.54
It was fine. I’m very happy to qualify for the semi-final. It was quick and it was easy.
[In the final] I don’t know, I think maybe I can be in the first three.
I live in Qatar but I train in Germany with my coach, Jama [Aden], and Abubaker Kaki and Ismail Ahmed Ismail, and my friend, Al-Garni.
I’m from Qatar, but originally from south Morocco, the Sahara.
Esrael AWOKE (ETH) – 2nd in HEAT 4 – 1:49.66
It was good, it was great.
[I led a lot because] that’s the way I can do it. I have to keep the pace high. In the final, I’ll attempt to be a medalist.
I ran 1:49 in Ethiopia, at the national championships.
Casimir LOXSOM (USA) - 1st in HEAT 4 - 1:49.48
(My plan was to) get through. I felt a lot better today than I have in a while. I wish it was the final today. I felt like I could run a lot faster.
Coming into the heat, I had a lot of confidence. I had to get to the final. That’s it.
I just finished my warm-up routine today and I thought, I could run 1:45 right now.
Niall BROOKS (GBR) - 1st in HEAT 5 - 1:51.10
It was good. I got a bit boxed in for the first lap and I had to go a bit wide. I waited until about 120 metres to go to push it. Obviously going through in 54 seconds, it’s probably one of the slowest heats so far. It’s about being patient, really, and when I thought it’d be right, I just ran it in.
Samir DAHMANI (FRA) - 1st in HEAT 6 - 1:50.80
After my disappointment in the 1500 metres, I wanted to focus on the 800 metres. The conditions were good today. It’s good for me to get back into it for the semi-finals. (The plan) was to get one of the top-3. I eased-up at the end and still got one of the 3 spots I wanted.
Abdulaziz Mohammed (KSA) – 2nd in HEAT 6 – 1:51.04
It was good. The finish was good, but a normal finish, not a hard one.
In the final, Ensh’Allah, I’ll be number one.
I ran 1:48.97 in Asia, in Vietnam [at the Asian Championships]. I was position three behind Al Garni and Hamza.
