Kenya’s Timothy Cheruiyot Wins Silver In 1500m Behind Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen

Timothy Cheruiyot claimed silver medal to finish behind Norwegian Jakob Ingebrigtsen in the men’s 1500m Olympic final in Tokyo.

The 25-year-old  Kenyan,who is current World Champion, hit the bell on the shoulder of  Ingebrigtsen Britain’s champion Josh Kerr.

Cheruiyot took the lead from the first lap dictating the pace only to be overrun by Ingebrigtsen in the last 200m metres of the fast paced race that saw the Norwegian setting a new Olympic record.

He won silver in 3:29.01 with Ingebrigtsen breaking a two-day Olympic record in a time of 33:28.32.

Kenya’s Abel Kipsang finished fourth, setting a personal best of 3:29.56 although his Olympic record of 3:31.65 that he set in semi-finals was shattered by Ingebrigtsen.

Cheruiyot  was late inclusion in Team Kenya after a new personal best of 3:28.28 set at Monaco Diamond League , which is the fastest time since 2015 and seventh-best all-time.

He has just come back from injury and was set for a battle with Ingebrigsten, who owns the European record of 3:28.68.

Morocco’s Hicham El Guerrouj owns the current world record at 3:26.00 from his July 1999 performance in Rome.

Men’s 1500m final 7/08/2021

1. Jakob Ingebrigtsen NOR 3:28.32 Olympic record

2. Timothy Cheruiyot KEN 3:29.01

3. Josh Kerr GBR 3:29.05

4. Abel Kipsang KEN 3:29.56

5. Adel Mechaal ESP 3:30.77

6. Cole Hocker USA 3:31.40

7. Stewart McSweyn AUS 3:31.91

8. Michal Rozmys POL 3:32.67

9. Jake Heyward GBR 3:34.43

10. Jake Wightman GBR 3:35.09

11. Oliver Hoare AUS 3:35.79

12. Charles Grethen LUX 3:36.80

13. Ignacio Fontes ESP 3:38.56

Photos Credit: Reuters