Kenya is hoping to retain their 3,000m SC title as Emmanuel Wafula and Haron Kibet step up preparations ahead of the Sunday ( 1:00a.m) final.
During the heats held on Wednesday, Wafula (8:49.57) and Kibet (8:47.25) placed second in their respective heats.
However, the competition will not be a walk in the park, especially with the presence of Moroccans, Ethiopians, and Ugandans, who have remained a thorn in the flesh for Kenya.
However, Kibet says he is not afraid of competition and his target is to be on the podium. “I am running for gold and I am confident of winning the race,” he said.
Morocco's Salaheddine Ben Yazide will be aspiring to emulate his senior countryman, Soufiane El Bakkali, who is the current world and Olympic 3,000m SC champion.
Yazide has a personal best of 8:19.63, the fastest among his competitors. He is definitely one of the men to watch on Sunday. Yazide won his heat in 8:50.70.
Ethiopians will also be there to spoil the Kenyans'party as they seek to reclaim the title they lost last year in Nairobi. Kenya won through Amos Serem. Ethiopia's Takele Nigate won during the 2018 edition in Tampere, Finland.
Ethiopia's Samuel Firewu and Samuel Duguna will grace the occasion ready to fly their country’s flag high.
Firewu has a personal best of 8:19.82 while Duguna's PB is 8:8:27.40. Firewu and Duguna won in their heats in 8:49.27 and 8:44.83 respectively.
Uganda’s Elphas Nziwa and Leonard Chemutai can not also be ruled out as they seek to make a repeat of the 2010 edition in Moncton, Canada, where Jacob Araptany won bronze. Nziwa and Chemutai have personal bests of 8:37.30 and 8:40.60.