1,500 metres, Women

The favorites were Kenyan Faith Kibiegon and the Netherlands’ Sifan Hassan, but the kicker was that it was uncertain if Hassan would run. She was entered in the 1,500, 5,000, and 10,000 but until the Olympics began it was not expected that she would attempt that unprecedented triple. In the end she ran all three races.

Kibiegon and Hassan were evenly matched, having split their two races in 2021, with Kibiegon having a slight head-to-head margin with 8 wins to Hassan’s 6. Their PRs were also close, Kibiegon at 3:51.07 to Hassan’s 3:51.95.

The heats were run on 2 August in the morning and that evening Hassan ran the 5K, winning gold in that event. She and Kibiegon qualified for the 1,500 final where they were joined by Britain’s Laura Muir, expected to be medal contender, but for Hassan qualifying was anything but easy. She fell at the beginning of the bell lap when a runner fell in front of her, and she tripped over her. Hassan quickly got to her feet and caught the field, and then outkicked everyone to win the heat.

In the final Hassan took the early lead but she and Kibiegon were at the lead through three laps as Muir and Canada’s Gabriela Stafford exchanged places just behind them. At the bell Hassan upped the pace but, on the backstretch, Kibiegon went past her and continued to increase her lead to the finish line. Kibiegon recorded 3:53.11, the sixth fastest time ever and an Olympic record, to win gold.

Behind her, Laura Muir passed Hassan as well and won silver in a British record 3:54.50, while Hassan held on for bronze. A few days later, she would complete an unprecedented triple when she also won the 10,000.