Kaki carries Sudanese Olympics hopes into men's 800m

BEIJING (AFP) — The hopes of strife-torn Sudan for an elusive Olympic medal lie squarely on the teenaged shoulders of 800m runner Abubaker Kaki Khamis, in only his second full season over the event.

Kaki, as he is known, has taken the world by storm and while not reaping the notoriety of Sudan-born runner Lopez Lomong, who was picked as the US team's flag-bearer at the Games opening ceremony but crashed out of the 1500m semi-finals on Sunday, is a much surer bet for a podium finish.

Kaki, just 19, arrived in Beijing as the All-African and Pan-Arab champion in the 800m. He recorded a leading time this season of 1min 42.69sec at the Bislett Games in Oslo in June, and has been in imperious form in the two-lap event.

His time was also a new world junior record, knocking a massive 0.95sec off Kenyan Japheth Kimutai's previous best in 1997, and a sharp reminder that a great talent had arrived.

In March, Kaki had become the youngest ever world indoor champion (at 18 years and 262 days) when winning a gripping 800m final in Valencia.

He led from start to finish, and completed the final 200m in just over 26sec.

"My coach told me to go to the front and run as fast as possible and these tactics were good," he said.

"I think I can run well in Beijing."

Kaki will be up against reigning Olympic champion Yuriy Borzakovskiy when the 800m heats are held on Wednesday, with the semi-finals coming a day later and the final on Saturday.

Borzakovskiy blazed to 1:42.79, his fastest in seven years, at last month's Super Grand Prix in Monaco, and will be bidding to become the first runner to win consecutive 800m gold since Peter Snell of Newzeland in 1960 and 1964.

Also hitting form are South Africa's Olympic silver medallist Mbulaeni Mulaudzi and Yusuf Saad Kamel of Bahrain.

Mulaudzi finished third in Oslo (1:44.04) and Monaco (1:43.26), dipping under 1:44 in three of his six races since June.

Kamel, the son of two-time world champion Billy Konchellah of Kenya, clocked 1:42.79 in Monaco, a personal best and his first dip into sub-1:43 territory.

Among other contenders are surprise world champion from Osaka, Alfred Kirwa Yego of Kenya, and his team-mates Boaz Lalang and Wilfred Bungei, alongside world silver medallist Gary Reed of Canada.