Kenyans Sylvia Chelangat and Damaris Mutunga qualified for the women’s 400m semifinals at the World Athletics Under-20 Championships in Cali, Colombia, on Tuesday.
Kenya’s lone competitor in the men’s 400m heats, Elkanah Kiprotich Chemelil, also qualified for the semis.
Chemelil finished fourth in the second heat, clocking 46.69 seconds, in a race won by South Africa’s Lythe Pillay in 46.02 seconds, ahead of Bahrain’s Yusuf Ali Abbas (46.21) and Jamaica’s Delano Kennedy (46.21). (46.24)
Chemelil advanced to the semi-finals of the Kasarani tournament last year.
The semifinals will take place on Thursday morning.
Chelangat finished second in heat four in 53.99 seconds, trailing Jamaica’s Dejanea Oakley, who won the event in 53.70 seconds, and Nigeria’s Queen Usunobun, who finished third in 54.32 seconds.
In the second heat, Damaris Mutunga qualified after placing second, clocking 52.60 in a race won by India’s Rupal, who clocked 52.50, and Moroccan Salma Lehlali, who finished third, clocking 54.14.
The semifinals will take place on Thursday morning.
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Chelangat earned bronze at last year’s World Under-20 Championships in Kasarani after clocking a personal best time of 52.23 in a race won by Nigeria’s Imaobong Nse Uko (51.55) and Poland’s Kornelia Lesiewicz (51.97).
