Hoare pips Cheruiyot to Commonwealth Games 1,500m title
From left: Australia's Oliver Hoare crosses the finish line in first place followed by Kenya's Timothy Cheruiyot and Scotland's Jake Wightman during the men's 1500m final athletics event at the Alexander Stadium, in Birmingham on day nine of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, central England, on August 6, 2022.
What you need to know:
- Cheruiyot lost the lead to World 1,500m champion Jake Wightman briefly just before the last bend but retook the lead only for him to run out of gas with few metres to go
- Hoare triumphed in the Games Record time of three minutes and 30.12 seconds as Cheruiyot came second in season's best 30.21
In Birmingham
Kenya has lost the Commonwealth Games men's 1,500 metres athletics title to Australia.
This is after Timothy Cheruiyot once again settled for silver, losing the closely contested final on the line to Australian Oliver Hoare at the Alexander Stadium on Saturday.
Cheruiyot lost the lead to World 1,500m champion Jake Wightman briefly just before the last bend but retook the lead only for him to run out of gas with few metres to go.
Hoare triumphed in the Games Record time of three minutes and 30.12 seconds as Cheruiyot came second in season's best 30.21.
Wightman went for bronze in 3:30.53.
It was the first time Kenya relinquished the title in 12 years, having won in three previous editions.“I expected this kind of competition by virtue of having a strong field but I am happy I got a medal,” said Cheruiyot, explaining that their rivals have improved over the distance and almost everyone is good in the last 100m.Read: Omanyala anchors Kenya's relay team to 4x100m final Cheruiyot said he was quite unlucky to lose on the line but noted that he is happy to be back from a nagging hamstring injury. “I was sixth at the World Championships but my body is coming up well,” said Cheruiyot.Cheruiyot explained that their plan was to have Kipsang take charge until the last 200m before he could move in. “We were to run a fast race but from 200m I started experiencing some lactic acid,” said Cheruiyot, who goes back to the drawing board to strategise for next year’ World Athletics Championships in Budapest.
