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NEW WORLD CHAMPION WILL BE CROWNED IN MEN'S 800M By David Monti (c) 2007 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved *IAAF Recap of 800s here
OSAKA
(31-Aug) -- A new world champion will be crowned in the men's 800m on
Sunday as defending champion, Rachid Ramzi of Bahrain, finished eighth
and last in his heat and was eliminated from the competition.
"My
left knee hurt, but this was not the reason why I was last," Ramzi told
IAAF interviewers after tonight's semi-final race. "I was simply
tired. I did not run a lot of races this year and this was already my
fifth race at the world championships."
Ramzi, the double gold
medalist at 800m and 1500m in Helsinki, earned the silver medal in the
men's 1500m final on Wednesday, losing in the final sprint to American
Bernard Lagat.
"I came here to Osaka only to run the 1500
meters, but when I did not win the gold medal I wanted to give it a try
with the 800m," Ramzi continued. It was my own decision, there was no
pressure from the Bahraini federation. This is the rule of sport - one
time you win, another time you lose."
Leading all qualifiers
into the final was Alfred Kirwa Yego who won the first and fastest heat
in 1:44.54, his best time this season. American Khadevis Robinson led
through 600 meters, but was passed by three men in the final turn and
finished fourth in 1:45.45, not quite good enough to qualify on time.
"I thought I would have a lot left over at the end," said Robinson. "My body didn't respond. I gave it my best shot."
Mbulaeni
Mulaudzi of South Africa finished second and advanced to the final, as
did third place Abraham Chepkirwok of Kenya who advanced on time.
Canadian
Gary Reed won the second heat in 1:44.92, and was able to ease up at
the finish and still win by almost a full second. The 25 year-old, who
finished eighth in the final in Helsinki, was pleased with his
performance and looking forward to the final.
"Tacticly, it was very good," said Reed. He added, "I'm back in the final again. One more crack at it."
Amine
Laalou of Morocco finished second to Reed and also advanced. Russian
Dmitriy Bogdanov, Yuriy Borzakovskiy's training partner, finished third
and was eliminated, as was American Nick Symmonds who finished sixth.
Symmonds was in the back going into the final turn and could not
contend in the sprint for home.
"With about halfway to go I saw
the pack pulling away," said Symmonds who said he was tired from a long
season of racing. "I just couldn't do it."
Borzakovskiy, the
reigning Olympic champion, won the third and final heat in 1:45.12. "I
did not feel too much pressure today," he told IAAF interviewers.
Behind
Borzakovskiy the always-consistent Wilfred Bungei of Kenya waited for
the final 20 meters to reach full speed and moved into second just
before the line, sealing his place in the final. "I was worried," said
Bungei who enjoys analyzing his races. "I knew it was going to be very
tough."
Bungei was less talkative about his chances of winning a
medal. "It's going to be a secret what I will do in the final," he
said with a smile.
Mohammed Al Salhi of Saudi Arabia finished third and advanced with the final time qualifier.
*IAAF Recap of 800ms here
----------------------------------------------------------------- Official Results - 800 Metres - M - Semi-Final Group A - 31 august 2007 - 20:05 Pos Lane Bib Athlete Country Mark 1 8 780 Alfred Kirwa Yego KEN 1:44.54 Q (SB) 2 5 938 Mbulaeni Mulaudzi RSA 1:44.71 Q 3 9 1063 Abraham Chepkirwok UGA 1:44.84 q 4 7 1134 Khadevis Robinson USA 1:45.45 5 6 401 Fabiano PeƧanha BRA 1:45.95 6 4 798 Dmitrijs Milkevics LAT 1:46.27 7 2 986 Abdoulaye Wagne SEN 1:46.49 8 3 814 Mouhssin Chehibi MAR 1:51.31 Intermediate Bib Athlete Nat Event 400m 1134 Khadevis Robinson USA 50.33 Group B - 31 august 2007 - 20:12 Pos Lane Bib Athlete Country Mark 1 6 428 Gary Reed CAN 1:44.92 Q 2 5 820 Amine Laalou MAR 1:45.11 Q 3 3 949 Dmitriy Bogdanov RUS 1:45.36 (SB) 4 7 309 Nabil Madi ALG 1:45.59 5 8 514 Manuel Olmedo ESP 1:45.61 6 4 1140 Nick Symmonds USA 1:46.41 7 9 771 Justus Koech KEN 1:46.86 8 2 408 Rashid Ramzi BRN 1:47.76 Intermediate Bib Athlete Nat Event 400m 949 Dmitriy Bogdanov RUS 51.57 Group C - 31 august 2007 - 20:19 Pos Lane Bib Athlete Country Mark 1 7 950 Yuriy Borzakovskiy RUS 1:45.12 Q 2 5 765 Wilfred Bungei KEN 1:45.20 Q 3 9 785 Mohammed Al Salhi KSA 1:45.23 q 4 6 405 Youssef Saad Kamel BRN 1:45.31 5 8 394 Kleberson Davide BRA 1:46.45 6 3 605 Michael Rimmer GBR 1:47.39 7 2 811 Yassine Bensghir MAR 1:48.04 8 4 794 Mohammad Al-Azemi KUW 1:50.28 Intermediate Bib Athlete Nat Event 400m 605 Michael Rimmer GBR 51.42
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