NamibiaSport

Agnes Samaria failed to qualify for the semifinals of the women’s 800m after finishing fifth in her heat on Friday.

Samaria started off strongly and was in the leading group at the halfway stage. With 200m to go she had even taken the lead, completing the 600m mark in 1:33,33. But Samaria faded over the home straight to eventually finish fifth in a time of 2:02,18.

Her heat was won by Svetlana Klyuka of Russia in 2:01,67, followed by Rosibel Garcia of Columbia (2:01,98) and Anna Rostkowska of Poland (2:02,11), who all qualified for the semifinals.

Samaria still had an outside chance of qualifying for the semifinals as one of the fastest athletes who did not finish amongst the top three, but her chance soon disappeared as faster times were set in the other heats.

In the fourth heat the veteran Maria Mutola showed she had lost none of her speed and fighting spirit when she won in a fast time of 1:58,91, while the second-placed Marilyn Okoro of Great Britain, third placed Lucia Klocova of Slovakia and fourth placed Tamsyn Lewis of Australia all finished under two minutes.

Janeth Busienei of Kenya won the sixth heat in 1:59,72 while the favourite to win the gold medal, Pamela Jelimo of Kenya won the third heat in a relatively slow time of 2:03,18.

The first three athletes of each heat as well as the six next fastest times qualified for the semifinals, which take place at 12h30 Namibian time on Saturday.