The first day of the World Indoor Athletics Championships came to a close, with a final contested today in Glasgow, Scotland. It was the 60m. But Africans Ferdinand Omanyala and Emmanuel Esseme failed to win the final race. On the other hand, a large number of athletes qualified for the semi-finals in several events.
On the first day of the World Indoor Athletics Championships currently taking place in Glasgow, Scotland, the Africans in the running did not shine in the finals. This was the case for Kenyan sprinter Ferdinand Omanyala and Cameroonian Emmanuel Essem. After bursting with speed in the heats and even the semi-finals, the latter two finished 4th and 6th respectively in the 60m final. Omanyala clocked 6.56, while de Esema clocked 6.68. The winner of this event, American Christian Coleman, went on to set a new world record with his 6.41.
In the women's 800m event, Ethiopia's Habitam Alemu (2.00.50), first in her heat, Tsige Duguma (2.00.50) also first in her heat, Benin's Noélllie Yarigo (2nd in her heat, 2.01.13) and Halima Nakaayi (2.02.42) of Uganda qualified for the semi-finals of these World Championships. On the men's side, over the same distance, Algeria's Mohamed Ali Gouaned (1.46.49), Botswana's Tshepiso Masalela (.46.76) and Morocco's Abdelati El Guesse (1.46.29) also booked their places in the semi-finals of these World Championships.
In the women's 1,500, Ethiopia's Freweyni Hailu (4.12.38), her compatriots Diribe Welteji (4.07.17) and Birk Hailom (4.11.54)) will also be in the semi-finals in their bid for gold at these World Championships. In the men's event, Ethiopians Samuel Tefera (3.38.66), Bniam Mehary (3.55.81), Kenyan Vincent Kibet Keter (3.38.96) and South African Ryan Mphahlele (3.42.97) are in the final.
Nigeria's Dubem Nwachukwu in the 400 m also qualified for the semi-finals thanks to his time of 46.69, the second-best time in his heat.
