Youssef Saad Kamel, the winner of the last of six opening round heats of the men's 800 meters, is the former Kenyan, Gregory Konchellah. His father, Billy, was the event's world champion in 1987 and 1991, the first of only two men to ever capture more than one title over the grueling two-lap race.

"I talked with him yesterday, and this morning," said Kamel after his Heat 6 victory in 1 minute 45.25 seconds, the fastest of the opening round. Kamel was part of the first wave of Kenyan athletes to switch allegiances to the greener pastures of the Gulf States, and has been competing internationally for Bahrain since Nov. 23, 2003.

"He gives me advice," said Kamel, who speaks to father about twice a week, "and he always tells me, 'Try to be like father, like son.' And this is what I want to try and do."

Despite a growing list of credentials, Kamel has some catching up to do before he can fill those large running shoes. The elder Konchellah, now 44 and working as a coach in Nairobi, had a lifetime best of 1:43.07 which propelled him to his first world title. In 1993, he tried to collect a third, but came away with bronze.

With a 1:43.11 career best, Kamel, 24, is nearly as fast, but is still chasing his first international accolade. Last year's IAAF World Cup and Asian Games champion, Kamel didn't advance from the semifinals at the IAAF world championships two years ago. In between, he earned the reputation as a somewhat brash competitor, but that cockiness didn't show on Thursday night.

"I don't want to say anything about the next race," he said, refusing to make predictions for Friday's semifinals. "Tomorrow is a hard day. We shall see."

In the meantime, visa difficulties have delayed Konchellah's arrival in Osaka, and Kamel is hoping that his father can make it by Saturday. "I really would like to have him here in the stadium."

Never intending to defend his title, 2005 champion Rashid Ramzi was supposed to be on a flight home this morning, but the Bahraini had a change of heart immediately after finishing second to American Bernard Lagat in his defense attempt in the 1,500 meters on Wednesday.

"He was pissed after that race," his manager, John Nubani said. "I had to change his plane ticket today."

He advanced comfortably, finishing second in 1:45.64 in the third heat behind world leader Mbulaeni Mulaudzi of South Africa who clocked 1:45.56.

"I was so disappointed," Ramzi confirmed, "I couldn't sleep at all last night."

With just the top three moving on by right, the first round, resulted in some fierce jostling, and relatively fast times, but no major casualties.

Medal contenders Yuriy Borzakovskiy of Russia, the Olympic champion, perennial speedster Wifred Bungei of Kenya, Canadian Gary Reed, U.S. champion Khadevis Robinson, and Uganda's 18-year-old sensation, Abraham Chepkirwok, all advanced. Dutchman Bram Som, the European champion, did not. Nor did Masato Yokota of Japan, who was seventh in heat five. The 19-year-old did take advantage of the supportive crowd, lowering his career best to 1:47.16.

(Aug. 31, 2007)