The fourth evening session of the IAAF World Junior Championships saw many of the best performances so far in Bydgoszcz, a gold medal for the home nation and a win for the biggest name on show here.
Abubaker Kaki Khamis, who set a World junior record in the 800m last month and is favorite to win gold at the Olympics, took as expected a victory as possible, although he was given a scare by Kenya’s Geoffrey Kibet.
The Sudanese, who ran 1:42.69 in Oslo, the fastest by any athlete for five years, displayed the confidence of an athlete who was three seconds quicker than the rest of the field as he set off in the lead.
He controlled from the front as he led through the bell in 51.78. However, rather than go away from the field, he was tracked closely Kibet. The pair were together in the home straight, but finally pulled away to victory by 0.63 seconds. South Africa’s David Olivier was third with 1:47.57.
