Posted in: 21/07/2022 – 03:40Last updated: 21/07/2022 – 03:38
Eugene (United States) (AFP) – Six Arab runners qualified for the semi-finals of the 800m race in the 18th edition of the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, USA.
The runners are the Moroccans Maad Zahafi, Al-Hassan Mujahid and Abdel-Ati Al-Kass, the Algerians Jamal Sajati and Suleiman Mawla and the Tunisian Abdel Salam Oyouni, while the other Algerian Yassin Hathat failed to catch up with them.
Zahafi topped the third group, Sajati the fourth, and Mawla the last sixth, while Mujahid came second in the first, and both Oyouni and Al-Kass third in the fourth and sixth, respectively.
Zahafi, who clocked 1:46.15 minutes, said: “I am happy to reach the semi-finals for the first time in the world championships. I participated in the Doha World Cup in 2019 and did not manage to get past the first round. I feel in good shape, I have great enthusiasm and I can achieve a better result. I can. Reaching the final and why not win a medal.”
“After I hit 1:43 last April, I know I can compete for a medal,” he added.
Sajati followed Zahafi’s lead and led the fourth group with a time of 1:46.39 minutes, ahead of Dutchman Tony van Diepen (1:46.39 d) and Tunisian Oyouni (1:46.59 d).
Mola established himself strongly in the sixth group and finished it in first place with a time of 1:44.90 minutes in front of Kenyan Michaelaev Kenyamal Kisasai (1:45.08 minutes) and Moroccan Al-Kass (1:45.25 minutes).
Mujahid came second in the first group qualifiers, with a time of 1:49.29 minutes, behind Kenyan Emmanuel Kipkirui Corrier, the defending champion and leader (1:49.05 d).
Algerian Hathat came out empty-handed after he finished seventh before the last in Group G with a time of 1:46.05 minutes, although his time was sixteenth in the general standings, but he paid the price for the slow pace of the three groups races (first, third and fourth), that is, nine runners qualified (the three the first in each) straight to the finals
The top three in the six groups of qualifiers qualified directly to the semi-finals, along with the six fastest times behind them.
The semi-finals will be held on Thursday evening, with the finals taking place next Saturday.
© 2022 AFP