Defending 800m champ Korir, Ferguson bow out the race

Defending world 800m champion Emmanuel Korir and veteran Ferguson Rotich failed to make the semi-finals cut as the World Athletics Championships entered Day 4 at the National Athletic Centre in Budapest, Hungary on Tuesday.

Korir faded to fourth place in his Heat 5 in 1:46.78 while Ferguson was fourth in Heat 4 after returning 1:46.53. Korir is also the Olympic champion while Rotich is the silver medallist in the two-lap race. 

Their exit left Alex Ngeno and Emmanuel Wanyony with the heavy task of ensuring the world 800m title returns home.

Wanyonyi clocked 1:44.92 to win Heat One ahead of Frenchman Gabriel Tual who placed second in 1:45.10. Italian Catalin Tecuceanu completed the top three places in 1:45.31.

 Ngeno also won Heat 3 in 1:47.63 with Algeria’s Djamel Sedjati (1:47.87) finishing second and third respectively.