Timothy Cheruiyot & Brian Komen up against Jakob Ingebrigtsen & Josh Kerr for 1,500m Olympics gold

Timothy Cheruiyot & Brian Komen up against Jakob Ingebrigtsen & Josh Kerr for 1,500m Olympics gold

Joel Omotto 10:00 - 06.08.2024

Timothy Cheruiyot and Brian Komen will be seeking to win a first Olympics title in 1,500m since 2008 but face a formidable challenge from Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Josh Kerr.

Timothy Cheruiyot and Brian Komen carry Kenya’s hopes for an Olympics medal in the men’s 1,500m final that will take place on Tuesday.

Kenya last won Olympics gold over the distance at the 2008 Beijing Olympics through Asbel Kiprop with the race proving challenging since, especially with the emergence of Norwegian Jakob Ingebrigtsen.

Ingebrigtsen is still favourite to retain his title but has a formidable opponent in Great Britain’s Josh Kerr, meaning the Kenyans will most likely be fighting for whatever is left.

However, in Timothy Cheruiyot, Kenya has an experienced runner as he won silver in Tokyo behind the Norwegian and can upset the formbook if he gets his tactics right.

Cheruiyot nearly missed out on a ticket to the final after opting to run on the inside lane and was boxed for most of the race, before a late surge saved his Olympics dream.

He cannot afford a similar strategy in the final if he is to win a medal and he will be backed by compatriot Brian Komen.

It is the first Olympics for Komen who is the reigning African Games champion and he should offer a great challenge if he also changes his tactics.

Komen also ran in the inside lane and was crowded out in the final stretch before he later made it to the final.

The race will begin at 8.50pm East African time and with Kenya already with three medals, a gold, silver and bronze, there is hope that a fourth one will arrive from the race.