The men’s 1,500-meter final was expected to be dramatic, but the outcome surprised everyone.
Jakob Ingebrigtsen, the reigning Olympic champion, and Josh Kerr, the world champion, were the favorites. However, it was a different runner who surged into the lead in the final straight to claim an unexpected victory.
Cole Hocker’s win was the biggest upset of the Games so far, ending a thrilling race with a remarkable finish. The American crossed the line with arms outstretched, securing the gold medal with an Olympic record time of 3:27.65.
Josh Kerr of Great Britain took silver with a time of 3:27.79, while Hocker’s fellow American, Yared Nuguse, finished third, just a hundredth of a second behind.
Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen, the brightest middle and long-distance runner of his generation, surprisingly finished fourth after leading much of the race.
This was a night for the underdog. Hocker, from Indiana, said, “That’s an unbelievable feeling. I felt like I was carried by the stadium and God. My body just did it for me. My mind was focused on the finish line.
“Winning gold was my goal all year. I wrote it down and repeated it to myself, even when I didn’t believe it. My performances showed I could run 3:27. I knew I was a medal contender and believed if I got it right, it would be gold. I’ve been saying that.”
When Jakob Ingebrigtsen, the Olympic record holder, started the 1,500-meter final at a strong pace with Josh Kerr close behind, it seemed like the race would be a showdown between the two rivals. Kerr overtook Ingebrigtsen in the last 100 meters, aiming for victory.
However, Cole Hocker made a perfectly timed surge in the final straight, becoming the second American in the last three Olympics to win this event, following Matthew Centrowitz in 2016. Yared Nuguse also overtook Ingebrigtsen, securing a bronze medal and marking the first time the US has had two men on the 1,500m podium in modern Olympic history.
Hocker’s previous major achievement was a 1,500m silver at this year’s world indoor championships, while Nuguse’s was a silver in the 3,000m. Both athletes significantly improved their personal bests, with Hocker cutting nearly three seconds off his time.
Josh Kerr, although not winning the gold, earned a silver medal and set a British record. Reflecting on his performance, Kerr said, “I’m proud of the performance I put out there today. I controlled my controllable and ran the fastest I’ve ever run by almost two seconds. It wasn’t enough today. That’s sport. Of course, I was looking for that gold medal, but it’s a better medal than I got three years ago.”
