Briton makes pole vault final in Tokyo and two out of three go through to next round of 800m as we bring you a summary of the men’s qualifying results from Saturday morning at the Games

It was positive news for British athletes on Saturday morning as three of the four in action advanced with Harry Coppell having his greatest major competition to make the final and two of the three Brits making the 800m semi-finals.

The men’s 800m heats got off to a sensational start when Isaiah Jewett blazed the first lap in 51.65 then kicked even harder. The American ultimately paid for his aggression and Ferguson Rotich of Kenya kicked by to win in 1:43.75. The previous fastest Olympic heat was 1:44.69 by Wilson Kipketer in 2004 and the fastest qualification was 1:43.79 by Norberto Tellez in the 1996 semi finals.

In second place Australia’s Peter Bol set an area record of 1:44.13 and Elliot Giles ran a controlled and sensible 1:44.49 in third to pass Jewett down the straight who held on to finish fifth and qualify as a fastest loser in 1:45.07.

The second heat went less well for Britain as European junior champion and former world leader Oliver Dustin seemed to lose all momentum at 600m and dropped back and despite kicking back in the final straight his sixth place in 1:46.94 was insufficient for qualification in a race won by Canadian Marco Arop in 1:45.26.

Dustin said: “I’m not happy. I felt really flat and I didn’t really have it. But this’ll make me stronger I’ll be back definitely. I don’t think I’ve had anything wrong coming in here – training camp went well, odd little niggle but nothing major. That’s the way this sport goes. You can be on top of the world one day and it’ll kick you in the teeth the next.”

The third heat was won by US trials winner Clayton Murphy in 1:45.53 with an impressive sprint finish with Dan Rowden finishing second qualifying with a little in hand in 1:45.73.

Rowden said: “I haven’t actually raced in a while so it was good to get a run out and just feel the racing in my legs. It was an interesting heat because obviously one of the guys fell over at the start, but you’ve just got to compose yourself, put yourself in the right positions and then go, and that’s what I did.

“I’ve had some quad niggles in preparation, I had a fantastic winter, fantastic start of summer, little niggles here and there, but if anything it’s probably given me some good rest coming into the champs so I don’t think it’s affected things anyway. It’s the Olympics, you’ve got to give it everything you have – and that’s what I’ll be doing.”

The world leader Nijel Amos of Botswana easily won heat four in 1:45.04 in a race that 2017 world champion Pierre-Ambroise Bosse led for most of the race but faded badly in the straight to finish sixth in 1:45.97 but he did gain the benefit of his aggression as he took the very last fastest loser spot.

The fifth heat was a messy and slow and tactical affair won by Mexican Jesus Lopez in 1:46.14. Poland’s European indoor champion Patryk Dobek was third in 1:46.59 a metre up on Ireland’s Mark English’s 1:46,75 which was not fast enough to make the semi finals.

The final heat was won by 1:42.05 performer Emmanuel Korir in 1:45.33.

Harry Coppell makes final in pole vault

Harry Coppell performed superbly in qualifying with first time clearances at 5.30m, 5.50m and 5.65m but though he failed at 5.75m, he made the final on countback as he was one of three athletes on 5.65m who joined the 11 who cleared 5.75m.

The British record-holder said: “It was a close call at the end! I would never wish for anyone not to clear a bar – when I was out I had accepted it, I thought I was done. But then it was obviously a roller coaster emotionally.

“Scott (Simpson) told me I was equal 12^th, but then I thought I am not believing it until I see it for myself. It took a good 5-10 minutes before the result came up. I’ve just got to get ready now and change tactics a little bit so we are ready for those bigger bars, I can’t complain!

“My prep throughout the season hasn’t been the best so to come here and have a great training camp and come into this and have a comp with no failures, it’s really paid off. I’m just so happy I put together a good series of jumps so now I have to get ready to make those bigger bars for the final.”

The big favourite -– world record-holder Mondo Duplantis – did not have a clear record as he failed an attempt at 5.50m but comfortably cleared 5.75m in an event that will miss world champion Sam Kendricks due to a positive Covid test.

100m qualifying rounds

The first round of the 100 metres are in the evening session (July 31) but three 100m qualifying rounds took place on Saturday morning and the heats were respectively won by Zimbabwe’s Ngoni Makusha in 10.32, Oman’s Barakat Al Harthi in 10.27 and Refugee Dorian Keletela’s 10.33.