Kenyans posted varying results in different races on Sunday in the ongoing Paris Olympics.

In the women’s 800 meters, reigning world champion Mary Moraa stands alone in the final after her compatriots Lilian Odira and Vivian Chebet failed to qualify. Moraa won her semifinal comfortably with a time of 1:57.86. Despite their best efforts, Chebet finished eighth in her race with a time of 1:59.64, while Odira came fourth with 1:58.53, missing out on qualification.

Moraa’s dominance was evident as she strategically conserved energy for a final sprint, securing her spot in the final alongside Ethiopia’s Worknesh Mesele. Chebet struggled, finishing last in a fast second semifinal won by Ethiopia’s Tsige Duguma. Odira faced a tough race, getting boxed in the inside lane and unable to recover.

In the men’s 1500 meters, Brian Komen and Timothy Cheruiyot qualified for the final, finishing fourth and fifth in their respective semifinals. Komen clocked 3:32.57 while Cheruiyot finished with 3:32.30. Unfortunately, Reynold Kipkorir did not advance, finishing 10th in his heat with a time of 3:35.52. Both Komen and Cheruiyot will need to elevate their performance in the final on Tuesday night.

Meanwhile, Ferdinand Omanyala faced disappointment in the men’s 100 meters, failing to qualify for the final. Omanyala finished eighth in his semifinal with a time of 10.08 seconds. A poor start hindered his chances, and he couldn’t recover, ending his race well behind the leaders. Kishane Thompson of Jamaica won the race with a time of 9.80 seconds. The men’s 100 meters final was eventually won by reigning world champion Noah Lyles (USA). Omanyala’s exit marks a repeat of his Tokyo Olympics experience, where he also fell short in the semifinals.

Lastly, Kenya’s sole representative in the men’s 400 meters, Zablon Ekhal Ekwam, had an unfortunate end to his Olympic campaign. Ekwam pulled out of Heat Six due to a hamstring injury. As a result, he is not eligible for the repechage round, a new qualification phase at Paris 2024. Charlie Dobson of Great Britain won the heat with a time of 44.96 seconds.