Marcus Krah from USA competes in men’s 110 hurdles qualification round during the IAAF World U20 Championships at the Zawisza Stadium on July 20, 2016 in Bydgoszcz, Poland.
Geoffrey Kiprotich qualified for the semifinals of the men 400m after taking the first heat of the IAAF Under 20 Championships in a 46.23 personal best and fastest time of the preliminary round during the morning session of the second day of action in Bydgoszcz, Poland on Wednesday.
Compatriot Edwin Ngeeti on the other hand scraped through to the penultimate round after making it as one of the fastest losers following his 47.11 fourth finish in the final heat six.
Having ended his challenge at the same stage in the 2014 edition in Eugene, Oregon two years ago when he ran 21.61 for seventh in the 200m competition, Kiprotich, 19, stepped up the distance and returned to the biennial global track and field showpiece where he underlined his intentions to be among the medals in Sunday’s finals.
He crossed the line just ahead of American Wilbert London who stopped the timer at 47.23 with Bahrain’s Moussa Ali Issa (47.39) finishing third for the last automatic qualifying slot.
Botswana’s Karabo Sibanda won heat six in 46.34 ahead of Cayman Island’s Jamal Walton (46.83) and Ivan Nunez of Mexico (49.96) with the Ngeeti who made the semis of last year’s IAAF World Youth in Cali, Colombia following them home to nick one of the six fastest qualifying places.
The top three finishers in each heat and six fastest losers made it through to Friday’s semis where the first two across the line and a further two quickest losers will punch their tickets to vie for the medals.