AK National Trials: Cheruiyot sings Kipsang's song in 1,500m duel
Abel Kipsang (left) competes with Timothy Cheruiyot during the men's 1,500 metres final at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani on June 25, 2022 in the Kenyan trials for the World Athletics Championships-cum-Commonwealth Games.
What you need to know:
- Kipsang, the national champion, and Cheruiyot, the Tokyo Olympic Games silver medallist, were shoulder-to-shoulder at the bell and all through
- Cheruiyot seemed to be having an edge over Kipsang at the home straight but Kipsang, fresh from winning the Doha and Birmingham legs of the Diamond League, would carry the day at the line in three minutes and 34.55 seconds
- The 2016 World Under-20 1,500m champion Kumari Taki took third place in 3:34.73 followed by Raynold Kipkorir
It was a thriller as Kip Keino Classic champion Abel Kipsang edged out World champion Timothy Cheruiyot in a photo-finish to win the 1,500 metres final during the World Athletics Championships and Commonwealth Games trials in Nairobi on Saturday.
Kipsang, the national champion, and Cheruiyot, the Tokyo Olympic Games silver medallist, were shoulder-to-shoulder at the bell and all through.
Cheruiyot seemed to be having an edge over Kipsang at the home straight but Kipsang, fresh from winning the Doha and Birmingham legs of the Diamond League, would carry the day at the line in three minutes and 34.55 seconds.
Cheruiyot settled second in 3:34.59 in one of the closest finish during the trials at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.
Kipsang and Cheruiyot would take the first two automatic places for the world event and Commonwealth Games.
Kipsang finished fourth in 1,500m at the Tokyo Olympic Games last year but claimed bronze in 1,500m at the World Indoor Championships on March 20 this year in Belgrade, Serbia.
Kipsang will be taking part at the World and Commonwealth events for the first time.
Cheruiyot will be making his fourth appearance, having finished seventh in 2015 Beijing before upgrading to silver in London 2017 London then gold at Doha 2019.
The 2016 World Under-20 1,500m champion Kumari Taki took third place in 3:34.73 followed by Raynold Kipkorir.
With Kenya allowed to take four athletes at the world event, Taki and Kipkorir will now wait for the nod from Athletics Kenya.
