Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon stamped her authority on the women's 1,500m final almost from the start on Monday and drove on relentlessly to take her second world gold in 3 minutes 52.96 seconds.
Ethiopian Gudaf Tsegay and Briton Laura Muir, who matched
Kipyegon stride for lung-busting stride until the last 300m, took silver and
bronze.
Kipyegon, winner of the last two Olympic 1,500m golds, the
2017 world title and who picked up a world silver in 2019 a year after having a
baby, came to Eugene on the back of posting the year's fastest time on the same
Hayward Field track in May.
She almost matched it on Monday as any thoughts of the sort
of tactical race often seen in finals disappeared on the back of a 55.1 second
opening lap.
The leaders went through 800m in 2.03 minutes, with the rest
of the field flailing distantly in their wake. They stayed locked together
through the bell but the Kenyan began to create daylight on the back straight
and powered clear.
"I have to say I am thankful for my second gold
medal," she said. "I knew it was going to be fast so I was well
prepared for that. Now I really want to get a new PB (personal best)."
WORLD CHAMPION AGAIN ‼️
— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) July 19, 2022
Beijing '15 🥈
London '17 🥇
Doha '19 🥈
Oregon '22 🥇
Two-time Olympic 1500m champion Faith Kipyegon 🇰🇪 runs an insane 3:52.96 to regain her world 1500m title!#WorldAthleticsChamps pic.twitter.com/ANIkmStcyu
Tsegay, second-fastest in the world this year, finished in
3:54.52 and will now turn her attention to the 5,000m having won Olympic bronze
over the distance last year.
"I was expecting more from this race but my opponents
were more experienced and lucky so I have to be grateful for the silver,"
she said. "I'm now thinking about the 5,000m and will show good some thing
there."
Tokyo silver medallist Muir clocked 3:55.28 to collect
Britain's first medal of the championship and her first in the event after
finishing fifth, fourth and fifth in the previous three 1,500m world finals.
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