Kipsang shatters Olympic Record, joins Cheruiyot in 1500m final
Kenya's Abel Kipsang (right) crosses the finish line to win in the men's 1500m semi-finals during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo on August 5, 2021.
What you need to know:
- Kipsang won the second semi-final in 3:31.65 ahead of Norway's Jakob Ingebrigtsen (3:32.13) and Britain's Josh Kerr (3:32.13) who wound second and third respectively.
- Kenya's World champion Timothy Cheruiyot also made it through to the final from the first semi-final that claimed the scalp of the third Kenyan in the event, Charles Simotwo, here at the National Stadium.
In Tokyo
Kenya's Abel Kipsang set a new Olympic Record in the 1500m semi-finals in Tokyo on Thursday.
Kipsang won the second semi-final in 3:31.65 ahead of Norway's Jakob Ingebrigtsen (3:32.13) and Britain's Josh Kerr (3:32.13) who wound second and third respectively.
Kipsang broke the Olympic record of 3:32.07 set by another Kenyan, Noah Ngeny in 2000.
Kenya's Abel Kipsang reacts after winning the men's 1500m semi-finals during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo on August 5, 2021.
Jewel SAMAD / AFP
An overview shows Kenya's Abel Kipsang as he wins the men's 1500m semi-finals during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo on August 5, 2021.
Antonin THUILLIER / AFP
Kenya's World champion Timothy Cheruiyot also made it through to the final from the first semi-final that claimed the scalp of the third Kenyan in the event, Charles Simotwo, here at the National Stadium.
Jake Wightman won the first semifinal in 3:33.48 with USA's Cole Hocker taking second in a PB of 3:33.87 and world champion Timothy Cheruiyot placing third in 3:33.95.
Britain's Jake Wightman (right) competes to first place ahead of second-placed USA's Cole Hocker (centre) and Kenya's Timothy Cheruiyot (second right) the men's 1500m semi-finals during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo on August 5, 2021.
Kenya's Charles Simotwo (3:34.61) finished just outside the automatic qualifying spots in sixth place to miss out on the final.
