Tokyo Olympics: Obiri, Kasait and Tirop in 5,000m final

The Kenyan trio of Hellen Obiri, Agnes Tirop and Lilian Kasait have booked their slots in the women’s 5000m final.

Tirop, the World 10,000m bronze medallist and Kasait secured automatic qualification in the final when they placed second and fifth respectively in heat one.

The pair were in the same heat as the world 10,000m and 1500m champion Sifan Hassan who clinched victory in 14:47.89 as Tirop settled for the second spot in a season best of 14:48.01

Kasait, the 2018 African Games champion who won the Kenyan trials held on for a fifth place finish also in a season best of 14:50.36

Obiri, the reigning world champion and Olympic silver medallist came home second in heat two where she was locked in a neck and neck battle with world 1500m bronze medallist Gudaf Tsegay of Ethiopia.

Tsegay edged Obiri by the tiniest of margins in the finish line as the Ethiopian clocked 14:55.74 while Obiri timed 14:55.77

The women’s 5000m final will be held on August 2, as the Kenyans look to defend the title won by Vivian Cheruiyot five year ago in Rio, Brazil.