Kipsiro through to 5000m final

Kampala

Heat 2 results
Dejen Gebremeskel (Ethiopia) 13:15.15
Yenew Alamirew (Ethiopia) 13:15.39
Thomas Longosiwa (Kenya) 13:15.41
Bernard Lagat (USA) 13:15.45
Abdalaati Iguider (Morocco) 13:15.49
Galen Rupp (USA) 13:17.56
Moses Kipsiro (Uganda) 13:17.68

Moses Kipsiro will step out for the 5000m final on Saturday with the task of ending Uganda’s 16-year Olympics medal wait. The Ugandan long distance star qualified for the final after finishing seventh in the semi finals on Wednesday afternoon, albeit in unimposing fashion.

Having finished a distant 10th after a terrible fall in the 10,000m final on Saturday, Kipsiro knows this could be his final chance to win a track Olympics medal before he switches to road running. Kipsiro clocked 13:17.68, finishing out of the top five automatic qualifiers but earned his place as one of the five fastest losers.

After a slow start, the Ugandan took matters in his hands, upping the pace. He was in the lead heading into the final lap but ran out of steam for the last push as Ethiopian Dejen Gebremeskel won in 13:15.15 ahead of countryman Yenew Alamirew (13:15.39).

The first heat was won by Hayle Ibrahimov from Azerbaijan in 13:25.23 followed by Kenyan Isaiah Kiplagat (13:25.64) and 10,000m champion Mohammed Farah (13:26.00). Nonetheless, only the top five of the first heat made it through to the final with Kenyan Edwin Soi missing out in sixth, thanks to the slow pace. Going by times posted, Kipsiro would have easily won the opening heat.

Kipsiro, who has won a medal at every big championship bar the Olympics, decried poor government support and said he was not fully prepared heading to the Olympics. “Expect no medals,” he said.

If he fails to make the podium on Saturday, the burden to get a medal will be shouldered by marathoner Stephen Kiprotich, who competes on Sunday.