Kenya’s Emmanuel Wanyonyi won the 800 metres at Ostrava in 1 minute 44.15 seconds for the second fastest time this season at the Golden Spike athletics meet in the eastern Czech city of Ostrava on Tuesday.
Less than a month after winning at Kip Keino Classic, Wanyonyi claimed his second World Athletics Continental Tour Gold victory.
The 17-year-old Wanyonyi edged out Algeria’s Slimane Moula, who also clocked a personal best of 1:44.19 as Max Burgin of United Kingdom came third in a season’s best of 1:44.54.
Fresh from claiming his maiden Diamond League win in Doha in 1:49.08 on May 13, Kenya’s Noah Kibet, the World Indoor 800m silver medallist, settled fourth in a season’s best of 1:44.89.
Wanyonyi and Kibet sprouted to the limelight when they staged a 1-2 finish at the World Athletics Under-20n Championships last year.
Botswana’s 2012 Olympic silver medallist Nijel Amos finished fifth in a season’s best of 1:44.92, while Bosnian two-time world medallist Amel Tuka settled 12th in 1:47.02.
Another Kenyan Collins Kipruto won the second 800m race in a season’s best of 1:44.58, beating Ethiopia’s Tolese Bodena to second place in a personal best of 1:44.90.
World 3,000m steeplechase silver medallist Lamecha Girma broke his own National Record with victory in the 3,000m steeplechase in a world lead time of 7:58.68.
It was the first time an Ethiopian ran under eight minutes with Girma having lost the battle to Kenya’s Conselsus Kipruto at the 2019 World Championships in Doha.
Girma set a new National Record time of 8:01.36 as Kipruto prevailed in 8:01.35.
Britain’s Reece Prescod won the 100 metres in a personal best of 9.93 seconds.The 26-year-old beat Jamaica’s Yohan Blake and fellow Briton Zharnel Hughes with both clocking 10.05 seconds.
Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala withdrew from the race with abdominal strain.
“It was a great race so I am really happy about that,” said Prescod.
“I feel in a good place and I will… hopefully get myself into some hot races now after running that time.”
“I am very glad for this result,” said the 21-year-old silver medallist from last year’s Tokyo Olympics.
“I felt strong and confident — good to feel like that as the World Championships are approaching,” he added.
The athletics World Championships in Eugene, United States are scheduled for July 15-24.
US athletics legend Allyson Felix had to bow to Aminatou Seyni of Niger in the 200m, with the African setting a National Record of 22.21 seconds.
The 36-year-old Felix, who has won 11 Olympic medals, announced in April she would retire after this season.
“It was a big honour to run against Allyson Felix on her last circuit. But as a sprinter, you have to focus on yourself and stay calm,” said Seyni.
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