UAE’s Bethlem Desaleyn gets through 1500m prelims comfortably at world championships

Emirati middle distance runner Bethlem Desaleyn finished fifth in her heat at 4:05.73 on Saturday to reach the semi-final in the 1500-metres at the Athletics World Championships in Beijing.

UAE runner Bethlem Desalegn shown at the Stockholm Diamond League meeting in July. Jonathan Nackstrand / AFP / July 30, 2015

Emirati runner Bethlem Desaleyn reached the semi-final of the 1500-metres on Saturday at the 2015 Athletics World Championships in Beijing.

Desaleyn finished fifth in her heat, the first, clocking in at 4 minutes, 5.73 seconds, to qualify outright. The top six in each heat plus the six next-fastest went through to Sunday’s semi-final. Her mark was ninth overall out of the three heats.

The 23-year-old middle distance specialist owns a personal best of 4:05.13, and will run in the first heat on Saturday needing to finish in the top five in her heat or among the two next-fastest in either heat to advance to the final on Tuesday.

Ethiopia's Genzebe Dibaba, who set the world record in the event in Monaco last month, paced the day at 4:02.59. Her only close competition was Kenya's Faith Chepngetich Kipyegon at 4:02.77.

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