Bahraini elite athlete Kemi Adekoya sets Asian record again!

TDT | Manama    

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain’s Kemi Adekoya set a new Asian record for the second successive night yesterday en route to securing her place in the final of the women’s 400 metres hurdles at the World Athletics Championships 2023 in Budapest.

Just a day after shattering the 30-year-old continental mark with a new fastest time of 53.56 seconds, which was also a Bahraini record and her personal best, Kemi repeated her success and went even faster, this time posting a 53.39s finishing time.

The 30-year-old was competing in the third of three heats in the semi-final stage, and needed to finish among the first two in her race or be one of the next two fastest to advance to the medal round.

She did just that, coming up as the runner-up behind heat winner Shamier Little of the US, who clocked a season’s best of 52.81s.

Also advancing to the final from their race were Janieve Russell from Jamaica with a time of 53.69s, and Ayomide Folorunso of Italy who came fourth in 53.89s, which was a national record.

Advancing to the medal stage as the top two from heat one were Rushell Clayton (53.30s) of Jamaica and Anna Cockrell (53.63s) from the US; while marching forward from heat two were Femke Bol (52.95s) from the Netherlands and Andrenette Knight (53.72s) from Jamaica.

The eight finalists are scheduled to battle for the podium tomorrow. The final is scheduled for 10.50pm, Bahrain time.

Kemi will be an underdog in the race, despite being a former indoor world champion in the women’s 400m.

Her semi-final mark and new Asian record was the fifth-best from last night’s semi-finals, with Little topping the times.

Kemi is one of four Bahraini athletes competing at the Hungarian capital.

The others are Winfred Yavi, Birhanu Balew and former world champion Rose Chelimo. Winfred is scheduled to begin her medal quest tonight in the women’s 3,000m steeplechase heats, scheduled for an 8.45pm start.

Winfred will be one of 12 athletes in the first of three races in this round. She must finish in the first five of her heat to qualify for the final.

Winfred heads into her race with a season’s best of nine minutes 04.38 seconds and a personal best of 8:56.55.

Tomorrow, prior to Kemi’s final, Balew will hope to improve on his 10th-place classification in the men’s 10,000m when he competes in the heats of the men’s 5,000m. Rose will run the women’s marathon on Saturday.