Kenyan youngster Abel Kipsang on Thursday set a new Olympic record as he raced to the final of the 1,500m.
Kipsang who raced in the second heat of the semi-finals broke off from the rest in the last 100m to set the new Olympic record of 3:31.65.
The old record of 3:32.07 was set by another Kenyan Noah Ngeny when he won the gold medal at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia.
“I anticipate running an even faster race in the final,” Kipsang said after the race.
He however said he was running his own race and did not know he was going to set a new Olympic record.
World champion Timothy Cheruiyot who ran in the first heat of the semi-finals also qualified for the final which will be ran on Saturday.
Cheruiyot who controlled the race from the gun to the bell finished in third place with the top five finishers plus another two fastest losers across the two semi-finals assured of a place in the final.
Cheruiyot clocked 3:33.95 in the race won by Great Britain and Northern Ireland’s Jack Wightman in 3:33.48, which was a season best.
USA’s Cole Hocker was second in 3:33.87 which was also a personal best time.
It was a disappointing outing though for Charles Simotwo as he failed to make the finals as Kenya was hoping to line up three runners in the battle for the top medals.
Simotwo was sixth in the first semi-final in 3:34.61, but unfortunately the two fastest losers came from the faster second semi-final.
