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Alfred Kirwa Yego of Kenya Wins Men’s 800m Gold

Posted September 2nd, 2007 at 6:57 AM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Special Features, Live Race Coverage

The Men’s 800m final of the 11th IAAF World Championships in Athletics from Osaka, Japan was wide open. All of the finalists had personal bests within 2.44 seconds of each other.

Gary Reed led at 200m in 25.60. Yuriy Borzakovskiy (RUS) was tucked into the middle of the pack, an unusual tactic for him. He usually runs the first lap from the back of the pack and then hauls in the front runners with his devastating kick. The field went through 400m in a slow 55.08.

In the backstretch it was still Reed at the front. Borzakovskiy was boxed in so he had to work out of it before he could go out the middle lanes to attempt his patented kick. Reed tried to hold off Kenya’s Alfred Kirwa Yego but Yego took the lead in the closing few meters of the race and took gold in a slow 1:47.09. Borzakovskiy, all the way out in lane 4, didn’t have his highest gear. Reed held him off for the silver in 1:47.10 while Borzakovskiy took bronze in 1:47.39. Here are the final results:

1. Alfred Kirwa Yego (KEN) 1:47.09
2. Gary Reed (CAN) 1:47.10
3. Yuriy Borzakovskiy (RUS) 1:47.39
4. Abraham Chepkirwok (UGA) 1:47.41
5. Wilfred Bungei (KEN) 1:47.42
6. Amine Laalou (MAR) 1:47.45
7. Mbulaeni Mulaudzi (RSA) 1:47.52
8. Mohammed Al Salhi (KSA) 1:47.58