by Justin LagatJustin Lagat is writing 1-2 columns a day. He covers the middle and long distances, focusing on athletes from East Africa, but also providing thoughtful comments on athletes from around the world!
In semi 1 in the W800m, Natoya Goule won in 1:59.57. @JemmaReekie held onto second in 1:59.77, never giving up. Mary Moraa, KEN, pushed by Ajee Wilson, 2:00.47 to 2:00.79. @tokyo2020, @NBCOlympics, @BritAthletics @stuartweir @adidasrunning @princess_toya1 pic.twitter.com/RGhLYtkDIm
— RunBlogRun (@RunBlogRun) July 31, 2021
The second day of Athletics action inside the Tokyo Olympic Stadium continued to showcase great performances, memorable moments, and a few upsets, and surprises.
Two-lap races dominate the day. It could have either been by coincidence or by design, but it doesn’t matter. It is just that it will be much easier in the future to remember that on the second day of Athletics in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the two-lap races dominated both the morning and the evening sessions.
In the morning, it was the men’s 800m heats while it was the women’s 800m semi-finals in the evening.
The women’s races were so competitive that some of the well-known favorites like USA’s Ajee Wilson and Cuba’s Rose Mary Almanza could not sail through.
Jamaica’s Natoya Goule won the first of the three semi-finals in 1:59.57. USA’s Athing Mu, in a front running style that arguably makes her the main favorite for gold, won the second and fastest heat in 1:58.07, while Great Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson won the last heat in 1:59.12.
In semi 2, in the W800m, @Athiiing showed that she is the athlete to beat, going 1:58.07, holding off Habitam Alemu, 1:58. 40 with GB’s Alex Bell in 1:58.83. @nbcolympics, @tokyo2020, @stuartweir, @britathletics, @scotathletics, @usatf, @kevmofoto pic.twitter.com/VvkRWgNxHA
— RunBlogRun (@RunBlogRun) July 31, 2021
With all the women running under two minutes to proceed to the finals, it promises to be an exciting final on Saturday 3rd.
Out of the eight lanes in the final, Great Britain will be taking three lanes, the USA will take two while Ethiopia, Jamaica, and China will each take one lane.
In semi 3, CY Wang, CHN, held the lead until the final 50m, when Keely Hodgkinson went by, winning in 1:59.12, CY Wang, 1:59.14, and Raevyn Rogers taking third in 1:59.28! @NBCOlympics @NBCSports @stuartweir @BritAthletics @scotathletics @usatf, @TheROYALlife21 @WorldAthletics pic.twitter.com/13L0796Bj1
— RunBlogRun (@RunBlogRun) July 31, 2021
In the men’s heats, Kenya’s Ferguson Rotich won the first and fastest heat in 1:43.75. This would become the fastest time ever in all the past Olympic Games in the qualification stages outside the final. Canada’s Marco Arop, USA’s Clayton Murphy, Botswana’s Nijel Amos, Mexico’s Jesus Lopez and Kenya’s Emmanuel Korir won the following heats in that order.
All the Kenyan runners in this event proceeded to the semi-finals that will happen during the evening session on the third day. It was the same case for the US runners as well.
