Kenya’s Mucheru, Koech storm men 400m Hurdles final

Kenya will have two athletes in Thursday’s men 400m Hurdles final of the Rio 2016 Olympics after African champion, Benson Mucheru and Aron Koech qualified for the medal race on Wednesday morning.

Running in the second semi, Mucheru who finished fifth at last year’s IAAF World Championships in Beijing followed home American favourite, Kerron Clement (48.26) to finish with a season’s best of 48.85 for the automatic ticket.

Japan’s Keisuke Nozawa was the first to rise over the initial six barriers but Clement’s vast experience told during the second half of the race and the two-time former world champion, running out in lane eight.

Clement would have been able to glance at the big screen in front of him coming down the back straight and would have been aware of what was happening behind him, held the lead coming into the home straight.

As Nozawa, in lane three, started to fade, Mucheru came through strongly to take the second automatic qualifying place.

In the next race, Durban 2016 bronze winner, Koech was beaten to the line by an Irish record of 48.39 for Thomas Barr as he ran his lifetime best of 48.49 seconds for second ahead of American Bryon Robinson (48.65) who failed to advance.

The third semi witnessed as a surprise as Barr came down the home straight like a bullet to win in 48.39 – evoking memories that most athletics fans have only read about of Bob Tisdall’s 1932 Olympic win in this event for Ireland – and taking 0.25 off his own national records.

With a relatively raw technique but outstanding flat speed, Haron Koech held the lead through the first eight hurdles and hung on to take second, setting his second personal best in as many races when crossing the line in 48.49.

USA’s Byron Robinson also finished well, as Norway’s Karston Warholm – who had challenged Koech for the lead between 200 and 300 metres – faded, but his personal best of 48.65 in third was not quick enough by just 0.01 to progress as Warholm finished fourth in 48.81.

Koech is the twin brother of world champion, Nicholas Bett who suffered a shocking first round exit from the competition on Monday.

-Material from IAAF/iaaf.org used in this report

RESULTS SUMMARY

Heat 1

1. 3059 Kerron Clement USA 48.26 Q SB
2. 2699 Boniface Mucheru Tumuti KEN 48.85 Q SB
3. 2357 Sergio Fernández ESP 48.87 NR

Heat 2

1. 2631 Annsert Whyte JAM 48.32 Q PB
2. 2872 Javier Culson PUR 48.46 Q SB
3. 2999 Yasmani Copello TUR 48.61 q
4. 2382 Rasmus Mägi Est 48.64 q

Heat 3

1. 2581 Thomas Barr IRL 48.39 Q NR
2. 2686 Aron Koech KEN 48.49 Q PB
3. 3095 Byron Robinson USA 48.65 PB