Faith Kipyegon and Nelly Chepchirchir through women's 1500m final, Timothy Cheruiyot disappoints

ATHLETICS: Faith Kipyegon and Nelly Chepchirchir through women's 1500m final, Timothy Cheruiyot disappoints

Abigael Wafula 19:00 - 20.08.2023

In Heat Two, defending champion Kipyegon looked comfortable as she led from gun to tape and eventually clocked 3:55.14 to cross the line.

Triple world record holder Faith Kipyegon and Nelly Chepchirchir have made the cut to the final of the women’s 1500m race at the ongoing World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

Chepchirchir, who was in the first Heat, was in a class of her own as she sprinted to the finish line to win the race in 4:02.14. The now 20-year-old will now have a chance to dine with the big boys as she heads to the final scheduled for Tuesday, August 22. 

Ethiopia’s Birke Haylom and Ireland’s Ciara Mageean finished second and third in respective times of 4:02.46 and 4:02.70 to also qualify for the final. The other three finishers have also qualified for the final of the same.

In Heat Two, defending champion Kipyegon looked comfortable as she led from gun to tape and eventually clocked 3:55.14 to cross the line ahead of Ethiopia’s Diribe Welteji. Dutch woman Sifan Hassan sealed the podium in the hotly contested race.

Meanwhile, in the men’s 1500m semifinal, reigning World Under-20 champion Reynold Cheruiyot and Abel Kipsang have punched their way to the final after displaying scintillating shows. 

In Heat One, Kipsang put up a spirited fight that saw him finish second behind USA’s Yared Nuguse. Dutchman Niels Laros finished third in the race. Cheruiyot, who was in the second Heat, made the cut by a whisker after finishing sixth in the race. 

Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen carried the day in the Heat as Great Britain’s Josh Kerr finished second. USA’s Cole Hocker sealed the podium. 2019 World Champion Timothy Cheruiyot was also in the race but he fizzled out to finish a disappointing ninth and end his journey there.