The 1,500-metre race was expected to be a showdown between world champion Josh Kerr and Tokyo Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen. However, Cole Hocker shockingly defeated the two veteran athletes to finish first and win the gold medal.
The American won with an Olympic record time of 3:27.65 as he crossed the finish line and completed an outstanding sprint finish. With a time of 3:27.79, Kerr of Great Britain won the silver medal, and Yared Nuguse, another American, finished third.
After his victory, Hocker said: “That’s an unbelievable feeling… I just felt like I was getting carried by the stadium and God. My body just kind of did it for me. My mind was all there and I saw that finish line.”
The athlete added: “Winning gold was my goal this entire year. I wrote that down and I repeated it to myself even if I didn’t believe it. My performances showed me that I was capable of running 3:27, whatever it took. I knew I was a medal contender, and I knew that if I get it right, it would be a gold medal. I’ve been saying that.”
Highlights of the race
Ingebrigtsen, who held the Olympic record in this competition three years ago, led the charge with Kerr close behind. It appeared that one of them would win the race as many had predicted. When Kerr passed the Norwegian in the final 100 metres, he looked sure to win, just as he had at the Budapest world championships last year.
However, Hocker drove up the inside of the finishing straight in an exceptionally timed burst.
He is the first American to win this event after Matthew Centrowitz in the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Another American finished third behind second-placed Kerr.
Nuguse suddenly came up from behind and overtook Ingebristen to win the bronze.
For the first time in the history of the modern Games, the United States had two men on the 1,500m podium.
Prior to the Olympics, Hocker’s sole significant achievement was a silver medal in the 1,500-metre at the World Indoor Championships this year, while Nuguse’s was a medal in the same tournament in the 3,000-metre
This was truly an unexpected but outstanding performance for middle-distance running for the United States.
Source: CNN