The world final of the most historic and fascinating middle distance race broke the monopoly of African athletes. A result that has never happened before, with five European athletes in the top five
Giorgio Rondelli
In the world middle distance citadel besieged for decades by great African runners, there is a bastion that does not yield an inch. On the contrary, he defends himself with extraordinary vigor. Often inflicting heavy losses on opponents. It is the bastion of the men’s 1500 meters. The most historic and fascinating race of fast middle distance. The confirmation came last night from the men’s 1500m final with five European athletes in the top five. An event that has never happened in the highest world championship, starting with the first edition dated Helsinki 1983. Then the British Steve Cram, one of the three greats of the English middle distance course, together with Sebastian Coe and Steve Ovett, won. Last night it was another British athlete, Jake Wigthman, who broke the bank with a capital performance. Both on an athletic and a tactical level.
Red circle
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More than a world final, Eugene’s 1500 men seemed to be a competition of the various Diamond League meetings. Only this time the hares were some of the best finalists themselves. The first 400 meters see the Kenyan Abel Kipsang in the lead in 55.51. At 800 meters, exceeded in 1.52.04, the lead is the Norwegian Jakob Ingebritsen the big favorite of the eve. His tactic is one and well known: to run at a pace close to the world record to crush the opponents. At 1200 meters Ingebritsen is always in the lead with 2.48.28. The key moment comes a hundred meters later. At the end of the straight opposite the arrival when the British Jake Wightman, realizing that remaining in the wake of the Norwegian it would have been very problematic to overtake him on the finish line, manages to bypass him in order to start the last corner at the head.
Winning move
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In the last hundred meters, no one can overtake him anymore. Wightman crosses the finish line in 3.29.23. Ingebritsen, who was surprised and does not have the sharp change in his technical repertoire, is second in 3.29.47. Behind them the Kenyans Timoty Cheruyiot, world champion in 2019 in Doha, collapsed, only sixth in 3.30.69 and Abel Kipsang seventh in 3.31.21. The bronze goes to the Iberian Mohamed Katir with 3.29.90 in front of compatriot Marco Garcia 3.30.20 and the British Josh Kerr 3.30.60. Like the British, the Spaniards have always had a great tradition in fast middle distance. Suffice it to remember Fermin Cacho Olympic champion on 1500 meters in 1992 in Barcelona.
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