In the fastest men’s 1,500m final in history, the favourite to win gold missed the podium entirely. Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen was upset by American Cole Hocker, who played his cards right and timed his kick to perfection, winning gold for Team USA in a new Olympic and American record of 3:27.65.
As the defending Olympic champion, Ingebrigtsen has battled pressure to perform at his absolute best at this Games to take down his great rival, Josh Kerr of Great Britain, the reigning world champion from Budapest. To see the Norwegian be bested by not only the Brit, but Team USA’s Yared Nuguse, the favourite for the bronze medal, as well as 23-year-old Hocker, has left track fans in a state of utter shock.
The American played it safe during the final, hiding in seventh for the first two laps and heading into the bell lap in fourth place. He closed in a blazing time to pass Ingebrigtsen, who had led the race until the final 100m. Hocker’s podium companions Kerr and Nuguse followed suit with the sit-and-kick tactic; the top three finished within two-tenths of a second of one another. The top four men all snuck under Ingebrigtsen’s previous Olympic record of 3:28.32 set at Tokyo 2020.
Norway’s 1,500m star admits that while taking the lead right off the gun, he took it out faster than intended, covering the first lap in 54 seconds. “It was a mistake,” he says. “I didn’t have it the final lap.”
“I knew it would come down to the last 50 metres–that could keep me in medal contention,” silver medallist Kerr told media after the medal ceremony. “It’s the fastest I’ve ever run–a British record! I said this 1,500m would go down for generations, and I feel we did that today.”
Kerr gave his flowers to the American contingent of Hocker and Nuguse for pushing him in the final 100 metres. “My performance was only good enough for silver today,” says Kerr. “Cole is known for having a good close, and he executed well. He’s got his world title, and I have mine.”
This race was the first time in 112 years that two American men have made the same 1,500m podium at an Olympic Games.
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Athletics events at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games are taking place from Aug. 1-11. Today’s coverage is brought to you by Canadian Running and New Balance Canada. Follow us on Twitter on Instagram for all things Team Canada and up-to-date exclusive news and content.
