We look at how the world’s best 1500m cast have come together to put on an incredible show at the Stade de France.
If there was ever an event that helped prove the point that running is about much more than just running a lap, it was the men’s Olympic 1500m final in Paris.
It was a three-part drama that included some fascinating characters. The opening episode played out over the past year, with Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Josh Kerr trying to do the whole scene-stealing verbal barb and unabashed dislike for each other that did so much to build this race in the first place.
The second also focused on these two leading men as the world watched to see what strategies might be employed in the early stages of the Paris final, a question Ingebrigtsen quickly answered as he shot to the front. Kerr predicted a “vicious” showdown, and that’s exactly what happened.
The reigning Olympic champion ran the 400m in 54.8 and the 800m in 1:51.5, aiming to break down his rivals and nullify the late charging threat he saw off Jake Wightman at the 2022 World Championships and last summer. Kerry.
Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Josh Kerr (Getty)
“The key today was always going to be weathering the storm early,” said the British team captain. “I was thinking. “He’s going to try to drag us into deep water early and see who can survive.” I had to make several blows.”
Seb Coe watched knowingly. The world athletics president, a two-time Olympic 1500m champion, had seen it before.
“I can think of one particular race where two of us just focused on each other emotionally and physically,” he said. “We actually destroyed each other and an East German guy passed us with about 40 meters to go.”
The race in question was the 800m final of the 1978 European Championships, where Coe and Steve Ovett burned through all their matches and Olaf Beyer, part of the now discredited GDR system, came through to win the title.
Although Kerr denied that he was too distracted by Ingebrigtsen, Coe said: “There were two races going on and the outcome of the first one really determined how the plates fell in the last 30 or 40 yards.
“In a funny way, it almost became like the Diamond League and Ingebrigtsen made a clear judgment call that he was going to put them in pain as quickly as possible. He did it pretty well and I think he did some damage.
“My gut instinct is that he did what he had to do in Josh’s mind, but it wasn’t enough because it was the first race he lost to Josh, but the way it unfolded meant he just gave two. allowing others to sit in there and pick up the pieces. There was always a danger that this would happen.
“Ingebrigtsen will judge by how he has run against Josh in the past and followed him. He just didn’t want to leave him in a landscape where he could really change the pace dramatically, because that’s not Ingebrigtsen’s game.
“From Ingebrigtsen’s point of view, I think he probably made the right judgement. For Josh, when he got caught in the first element of that race, there was nothing more he could have done, and I’m sure the two Americans are still wondering how it happened.”
As Ingebrigtsen’s efforts got to him and he began to fade, so Kerr took the lead and was poised to take the gold. But as the crowd watched to see how the action would play out, so came the arrival of the drama’s third installment and the fast-ending American duo.
Josh Kerr, Cole Hawker, Jared Nugus (Getty)
Jared Nugus struck on the outside, but on the inside line, which was perfectly open for him, came Cole Hawker. The US champion has always had an impressively fast finish and was the man the smart money would bet on if there was an upset.
He added power to his speed and powered past Kerr to emulate 2016 winner and American Matt Centrowitz. Hawker took almost three seconds off 3:27.65 to beat Kerry’s British record of 3:27.79, while Nugus finished third in a PB of 3:27.80.
“I think the headlines were about them, and rightly so,” said Carey and Ingebrigtsen’s American. “It’s an Olympic champion and a world champion and everybody knows the caliber of their athletes. The titles made sense and, personally speaking, it can be nice to fly under the radar. I think most of the racers knew I was a competitor, but it was different to not have all that hype, so I feel like I took advantage of that.
“All my members knew this was an Olympic final. I felt the moment. I felt the magnitude of it and it was incredible. I knew what I had left and I was like. “I’m going to get a medal,” but by 20 meters, I feel like I knew I had gold.”
Kerr added about the winner. “I knew how dangerous he was. You are always a big risk to win the American Trials. To beat Jared the way he did was pretty special. I thought he could run 3:27. Not particularly. But I hadn’t run a 3:27 at that point. I didn’t know what it took. He’s put together a wonderful performance that I’m sure he’s incredibly proud of.”
Josh Kerr. “I can’t see Jacob running the 1500m in another Olympic cycle”
Kerr also had a word for Ingebrigtsen. The Norwegian, who finished fourth, was incredibly generous in defeat and said: “I can only blame myself. A challenging game that balances your energy. This was a risk I was going to take.”
There was also an unmistakable note of respect in Kerr’s voice when asked about the European record holder’s approach. “It’s a bold strategy,” he said. “I think we all thought it was going to be fast, but the crowd was electric so it’s hard to set the pace well.
“When you know the track is fast, the atmosphere is crazy, it’s the finals of the Olympics, it’s a kind of confidence that you can keep your heart rate down enough to hit your splits.
“Obviously he went out a little bit too hard. You could see in the last 200 meters he was looking around to see if we were still there, and we were, but it’s a brave strategy. Obviously it didn’t work out (this time), but it was a hell of a race.”
Jakob Ingebrigtsen (River)
Jakob Ingebrigtsen was finally able to leave the Paris Olympics with that winning feeling. After the pain of missing out on a medal in the 1500m final, he was dominant in the 5000m as he became Norway’s first Olympic champion in the event.
It’s a win that will help him bounce back from his middle-distance disappointment, but the 23-year-old admits he won’t forget it.
“I think one of the biggest confusions is that it’s something you put behind you,” he said when asked by AW how long he had allowed himself to be angry about the 1500m final. “I still remember a lot of my losses in my junior career or even when I was very young and also in my (first) World Championships in Doha (where he was also fourth in the 1500m final).
“There are things that will haunt me for the rest of my life, and I think that’s one of the reasons why it’s important for us to perform as athletes, because we always remember losing and not achieving what we want.
“I think it also motivates us to step up and do what it takes.
It’s one thing to deal with it, but there’s always going to be something that’s there. That’s a big part of sports. I think most of the greatest athletes have defeats that will haunt them for the rest of their lives, but hopefully the reward of accomplishments and memories will outlast them.”
Ingebrigtsen’s performance in the 1500m, and the fact that she has lost three consecutive World Outdoor Championships finals, has fueled much debate about whether or not her future should lie away from the event.
He is clearly well-suited to the longer distances, but Grant Fisher, a 5,000m and 10,000m bronze medalist in Paris, believes the European champion should stay put.
“It would be fun to see him at 10,000 meters and I think that will suit him,” the American said. “But if I were him, I’d stick with the 1500m/5000m. The 1500 meters is just such a glamorous event. The 10,000 meters is slowly being cut out of many meets, while the 1,500 meters is pure fun. It’s an event for many people.
“I think people are looking at the 1500m and thinking maybe there is a question of changing tactics and a question of changing events. I think that’s an overreaction.”
» This article first appeared in the September issue of AW magazine. Subscribe to AW Magazine herecheck out our new podcast! here or subscribe to our digital archive of back issues from 1945 to the present day here
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