Abubaker Kaki of Sudan during the 800m Semi-Final (© Getty Images)
Defending champion Abubaker Kaki laid down a clear statement he fully intends to retain his title by racing to the fastest ever men's 800m semi-final qualification time in the history of the championships.
Kaki, 20, who became the youngest ever athlete to win a gold medal at the World Indoors in Valencia two years ago when still a teenager, controlled the race from the outset to stop the clock in 1:46.45 to win the opening semi-final.
Kenyan talent Boaz Lalang comfortably qualified second in 1:46.73 with Poland's Adam Kszczot taking the third and final qualifying spot in 1:46.90.
There was no place in the final but at least the consolation of PB'S for Spanish teenager David Bustos (1:47.05) in fourth and Kevin Hautcoeur (1:47.50) in fifth. Brazil's Fabiano Pecanha (1.49.60) completed the first six.
Kaki actually made the slowest start from the gun, but kicked to the front by the time he hit the back straight for the first time and was never headed.
He went through 200m in 24.90 and passed half-distance in 51.56 with Lalang and Hautcouer tracking.
By the bell the order had remained unchanged and Kaki was imperious on the final lap with Lalang also comfortably qualifying.
The main excitement on the final lap saw Kszczot, the European Under-23 champion, smoothly move through the field and earn his passge into the final.
By contrast, a scruffy, tactical second semi-final was taken by Spanish champion Luis Alberto Marco in 1:51.05 - the slowest ever winning men's 800m semi-final time at a World Indoor Championships.
Jakub Holusa crossed the line 0.03 behind to guarantee a first Czech presence in the final of this event for 15 years.
However, the real drama took place behind as Olympic silver medallist Ismail Ahmed Ismail pulled off the great escape to haul himself from fifth coming off the final bend into the third automatic qualifying spot in 1:51.25 just 0.04 ahead of Great Britain's Andrew Osagie. Ismail's qualification guarantees Sudan have a full complement of athletes in the final.
From the gun it was a dawdle as Marco passed 200m in 26.58 and hit halfway in 55.89 followed by Austria's Andreas Rapatz with Ismail trailing out the back.
These dangerous tactics started to look terminal for the Sudanese athlete as he tried to force his way up the inside on the penultimate lap only to find he had turned down a blind alley and was forced to chop his stride and drop to the back of the pack again.
At the bell you could have thrown a blanket over the six semi-finalists with Ismail fifth, not looking in good shape. At the front Marco managed to control affairs and stave off a late challenge from Holusa. Ismail, however, was forced into emergency action as he swung wide off the final bend and had to fight for his life to qualify.
For the record Duane Solomon of the US wound up fifth in 1:51.82 with Rapatz sixth (1:52.43).
Interestingly, the six qualifiers for tomorrow's final very much represent the future.
Ismail is the oldest man in the field aged 25 with Marco, the second oldest at 23. Holusa is 22, Lalang a year younger and Kaki and Kszczot a youthful 20.
By Steve Landells for the IAAF
