TOKYO (AP) — Faith Kipyegon pulled away from the pack for a win everyone expected and a record-tying fourth world championship at 1,500 meters Tuesday.
Kipyegon finished in 3 minutes, 52.15 seconds, nearly three seconds ahead of her Kenyan teammate Dorcus Ewoi but about three seconds behind the world record she set earlier this year.
Running in front throughout the near four-lap journey, Kipyegon coasted into the finish to join Hicham El Guerrouj as only the second runner to win four world titles in the metric mile. She flashed four fingers after crossing the finish line.
“I’m so happy to represent my country and win medals,” she said. “I think of breaking barriers every time.”
The win puts an exclamation point on a season that began with her coming up short in a much-hyped quest to become the first woman to break the four-minute mile, but includes the world record and, now, title No. 4.
“The challenge was very hard,” she said of the four-minute challenge. “But it gave me confidence that coming here I knew I was capable of defending my title and running a beautiful race like I did today.”
In all, Kipyegon has four world and three Olympic titles at 1,500 meters, along with the 5,000 title at 2023 worlds and the 2024 Paris Olympics.
She’ll be back on the track this week to defend her crown in the 5,000, which should be a fairer fight. It’s expected to include Gudaf Tsegay and Beatrice Chebet, who both skipped the 1,500 to focus on the 10,000.
With those two gone, and with Ethiopia’s Diribe Welteji missing the worlds due to a ban stemming from missed drug tests, Australia’s Jessica Hull was the only other runner in the field with one of the year’s top-five marks.
Hull hung around Kipyegon for 3 1/2 laps, but the late move belonged to the Kenyan, who more than doubled her 1.31-second lead over the last 200 meters and looked fresh as she crossed the line.
Perhaps the most telling sign of how Kipyegon dominates came after the race. With Ewoi and Hull writhing on the ground, Kipyegon jogged over, patted Ewoi on the chest, then bent to grab Hull by the arm and pull her up.
Hull took bronze to go with the silver she won in Paris last year. This is the first big-time medal of any color for Ewoi, a 28-year-old Kenyan who trains in the U.S.
Tinch wins hurdles for sixth US gold
Cordell Tinch won the gold medal in the 110-meter hurdles, putting a temporary halt to a less-than-excellent start to the championships for the United States.
Tinch gave the U.S. its sixth gold medal after four days to go with two bronze.
America was shut out in the women’s 100-meter hurdles and hammer throw and men’s pole vault — often good medal producers — and lost a decent medal chance when Cole Hocker was disqualified in the semifinals of the 1,500.
Nikki Hiltz had a chance in the women’s 1,500 that was missing several top challengers but finished fifth.
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