Beijing Olympic – Men race to 1500m semifinals
Rashid Ramzi of Bahrain has clocked the fastest time in round one of the Men’s 1500m at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on Friday, August 15, at the National Stadium, with a time of 3:32.89.
Mohamed Moustaoui of Morocco ran the second fastest time behind Ramzi to qualify with a time of 3:34.80, while Augustine Kiprono Choge of Kenya goes into the final ranked third, finishing in 3:35.47.
Ramzi’s best Olympic result came in Athens 2004, where he appeared in a semifinal.
The competition is proving tough, with Kenyan-born Bernard Lagat of the United States, 2007 world champion and two-time Olympic medalist, only just qualifying for the semifinals.
“It is not going to get much tougher. It’s the same group of guys that I have to race again,” Canadian Nathan Brannen said after finishing and second and being injured in heat two.
“I got spiked but that’s just the name of the game. You feel a little prick out there and it just stings a little bit later,” he said.
The semifinal of the Men’s 1500m will be held on Sunday, August 17 at the National Stadium in Beijing.
Semifinalists in the Men’s 1500m and their qualifying times:
1. Rashid Ramzi – Bahrain 03:32.9
2. Mohamed Moustaoui – Morocco 03:34.8
3. Augustine Kiprono Choge – Kenya 03:35.5
4. Mehdi Baala – France 03:35.9
5. Christian Obrist – Italy 03:35.9
6. Nicholas Willis – New Zealand 03:36.0
7. Daham Naim Bashir – Qatar 03:36.0
8. Kevin Sullivan – Canada 03:36.0
9. Tarek Boukensa – Algeria 03:36.1
10. Deresse Mekonnen – Ethiopia 03:36.2
11. Juan van Deventer – South Africa 03:36.3
12. Carsten Schlangen – Germany 03:36.3
13. Arturo Casado – Spain 03:36.4
14. Andy Baddeley – Great Britain 03:36.5
15. Abdalaati Iguider – Morocco 03:36.5
16. Leonel Manzano – United States 03:36.7
17. Mulugeta Wendimu – Ethiopia 03:36.7
18. Lopez Lomong – United States 03:36.7
19. Belal Mansoor Ali – Bahrain 03:36.8
20. Asbel Kipruto Kiprop – Kenya 03:41.3
21. Nathan Brannen – Canada 03:41.5
22. Juan Carlos Higuero – Spain 03:41.7
23. Bernard Lagat – United States 03:42.0
24. Antar Zerguelaine – Algeria 03:42.3
(Source: en.beijing2008.cn)