Morocco’s Ismail Sghyr was the fastest qualifier for the men’s 5000m final on Sunday, winning the first heat in 13:19.70, just ahead of the fastest 5000m runner in the world this year, and former world record holder, Daniel Komen of Kenya. One notable name who will not be on the starting line on Sunday is Komen’s teammate, the 1993 and 1995 world 5000m champion, Ismael Kirui, who finished 9th in heat two in 13:34.52.
Heat 1: New Zealand’s Jonathan Wyatt took the field through the first kilometre in 2:42.63, followed by the 1992 Olympic champion, Dieter Baumann of Germany, Paul Bitok of Kenya, Sghyr and Komen. At 2000m (5:28.40) Ethiopia’s Worku Bikila strode to the lead and picked up the pace. Sghyr took over at 3000m (8:08.65) and gradually accelerated - taking Baumann, Komen, Bitok, Spain’s Enrique Molina, Bikila and Abdellah Behar of France, 10 metres clear of the rest. At 4000m (10:47.82) Komen took the lead and a group of five broke clear before the bell and came home to take the automatic qualifying spots. Bikila and Behar qualified on time.
Heat 2: Bob Kennedy of the USA led the field through 1000m in 2:46.25, some four seconds slower than the first heat. At 2000m (5:30.14) Kirui increased the pace, followed by a large group, before Morocco’s El Hassan Lahssini took over and stretched them out. At 3000m (8:07.26) there were still 10 men in contention, with Kenya’s Tom Nyariki, Kennedy and Ethiopia’s Fita Bayissa Lahssini’s closest challengers. Kirui was dropped from a leading group of eight at 4000m (10:47.22) and at the bell a group of five, including Kennedy, Nyariki, Dionisio Castro of Portugal, Lahssini and Khalid Boulami, broke clear to finish in the automatic qualifying positions.
