Nick Symmonds of the US was made to work hard to win heat four when he had to sprint home to hold off the challenge of Yego.
A near casualty was Canada’s Gary Reed, who claimed silver behind Yego in Osaka last year, who squeezed through as one of the eight fastest losers.
Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele ocruised into the final of the men’s 5,000m to keep his bid for an elusive long-distance running double on course.
Bekele finished third in his heat and advanced to tomorrow’s final where he will seek to emulate the 5,000m/10,000m double last achieved by compatriot Miruts Yifter in the 1980 Moscow Games.
American Matthew Tegenkamp was a surprise winner of the first heat, winning the race to the line in a five-man sprint to clock 13:37.36.
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