Kenya’s Ferguson Rotich is a strong contender to succeed compatriot David Rudisha as the new king of the event in today’s final at the Olympic stadium in Tokyo.

Rotich heads to the 3:05pm Kenyan time final as a favourite having achieved the fastest run of the semi-final on Sunday.

With double Olympic gold medallist Rudisha’s persistent injuries denying him a chance to defend his title, it has opened the way for a new champion to emerge.

“What I did during the semis was a bit cheeky,” Rotich referring to his act of looking behind to encourage those trailing him to keep up as he crossed the line.

“It wasn’t much really, just a moment of comic relief in a very serious race. That aside, I am where I wanted to be, the finals.

I will be counting on the form I have exhibited in the two previous races here in Tokyo one more time,” said Rotich, the 2019 world bronze medallist.

Rotich, fifth during the Rio Games five years ago will be joined by another Kenyan, Emmanuel Korir, who came to Japan boasting this year’s second-fastest run.

The final will also have Australia’s Peter Bol who pushed through to the final with a personal best of 1:44.11.

The United States’ Clayton Murphy, Olympic bronze medallist five years go in Rio, will also be in the final.

Botswana’s 2012 Olympic silver medallist Nijel Amos got tangled up and fell will also be in contention.

Amos was initially out of the final following his fall but the 27-year-old was later reinstated, expanding the field to nine athletes, after the meeting referee judged that he had been impeded by American Isaiah Jewett, who also fell.