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Olympic Champion Emmanuel Korir has bagged Kenya’s second gold medal in the ongoing 2022 World Athletics Championships in Oregon, United States.
The 27-year-old produced a superb home stretch sprint to win the men’s 800m early Sunday morning in a season's best of one minute and 43.71 seconds.
He finished ahead of Algerian Djamel Sedjati who claimed silver in 1:44.14 and Canada's Marco Arop who settled for bronze (1:44.28).
Korir’s victory saw Kenya reclaim the 800m title that David Rudisha last won in 2015 after clinching a pair of bronze medals in 2017 and 2019.
He becomes the second athlete in history to hold both the Olympic and world title at once after Rudisha, who became the Olympic champion in 2012 London and 2016 Olympics and world champion in 2011 Daegu and 2015 Beijing.
"I knew it was bound to be a tough race since I was the only one with a time of 1:45. The race played into my hands when it proved slow in the last 200m. I am happy to achieve a milestone here in Oregon," said Korir.
His victory extends Kenya’s medal tally at the championships to eight, including two gold, four silvers and two bronze. Kenya ranks third behind the United States which has 28 medals (10 gold, 8 silvers, and 10 bronze) and Ethiopia with 10 medals (4 gold, 4 silvers, and 2 bronze).
Other Kenyan medalists at the championships include Faith Kipyegon (1500m gold), Conseslus Kipruto (3000m steeplechase bronze), Beatrice Chebet (5,000m silver), Hellen Obiri (10,000m silver), Stanley Waithaka (10,000m silver), Judith Korir (marathon silver), and Margaret Chelimo (10,000m bronze).