| | Event type
1,500 metres, Men
| Date | 25 – 29 September 2000 |
|---|---|
| Status | Olympic |
| Location | Olympic Stadium, Olympic Park, Sydney, New South Wales |
| Participants | 41 from 26 countries |
Rivaling the loss by Aleksandr Karelin in heavyweight Greco-Roman wrestling, this was the biggest upset of the Sydney Olympics. Many people were calling Hicham El Guerrouj the greatest miler in history. Between the 1996 and 2000 Olympics he had lost only two races, and only one over the 1,500/mile distance. He was the world record holder at 1,500 metres, the mile, and at 2,000 metres, and he was the world champion at this distance in 1997 and 1999. Noah Ngeny was a top quality runner and well-known, but he was given little chance to defeat El Guerrouj. Ngeny and El Guerrouj won the semi-final heats. Unusual for an Olympic 1,500 final, the race was run at a quick pace, with Moroccan Youssef Baba leading thru 54.14 and 1:54.77. El Guerrouj took the lead on the third lap, run in 56.8, but Ngeny was on his shoulder. With 25 metres to go, Ngeny took the lead and won by two metres over El G, Kenya’s Bernard Lagat, who later switched allegiance and ran for the United States, getting up for the bronze medal.
| Pos | Nr | Athlete | NOC | R1 | SF | Final | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2389 | Noah Ngeny |  KEN | 3:38.03 (1 h3) | 3:39.29 (1 h1) | 3:32.07 (1) | Gold | ||
| 2 | 2515 | Hicham El Guerrouj |  MAR | 3:38.57 (1 h1) | 3:37.60 (1 h2) | 3:32.32 (2) | Silver | ||
| 3 | 2384 | Bernard Lagat | KEN | 3:40.42 (2 h2) | 3:37.84 (2 h2) | 3:32.44 (3) | Bronze | ||
| 4 | 1708 | Mehdi Baala |  FRA | 3:40.35 (1 h2) | 3:38.15 (4 h2) | 3:34.14 (4) | |||
| 5 | 1328 | Kevin Sullivan |  CAN | 3:40.80 (4 h2) | 3:39.66 (2 h1) | 3:35.50 (5) | |||
| 6 | 1665 | Daniel Zegeye |  ETH | 3:40.91 (5 h2) | 3:38.08 (3 h2) | 3:36.78 (6) | |||
| 7 | 1575 | Andrés Díaz |  ESP | 3:38.54 (3 h3) | 3:38.41 (6 h2) | 3:37.27 (7) | |||
| 8 | 1587 | Juan Carlos Higuero | ESP | 3:40.60 (3 h2) | 3:38.37 (5 h2) | 3:38.91 (8) | |||
| 9 | 1810 | John Mayock |  GBR | 3:39.08 (4 h1) | 3:38.68 (7 h2) | 3:39.41 (9) | |||
| 10 | 3310 | Jason Pyrah |  USA | 3:38.94 (7 h3) | 3:40.04 (3 h1) | 3:39.84 (10) | |||
| 11 | 1732 | Driss Maazouzi | FRA | 3:38.88 (6 h3) | 3:40.23 (5 h1) | 3:45.46 (11) | |||
| 12 | 2511 | Youssef Baba | MAR | 3:38.68 (4 h3) | 3:40.16 (4 h1) | 3:56.08 (12) | |||
| 6 h1 r2/3 | 3187 | Julius Achon |  UGA | 3:39.40 (7 h1) | 3:40.32 (6 h1) | – | |||
| 7 h1 r2/3 | 1659 | Hailu Mekonnen | ETH | 3:39.09 (5 h1) | 3:40.92 (7 h1) | – | |||
| 8 h1 r2/3 | 1273 | Hudson de Souza |  BRA | 3:39.70 (10 h3) | 3:41.00 (8 h1) | – | |||
| 8 h2 r2/3 | 2612 | Marko Koers |  NED | 3:39.16 (8 h3) | 3:39.42 (8 h2) | – | |||
| 9 h1 r2/3 | 3314 | Michael Stember | USA | 3:39.13 (6 h1) | 3:42.30 (9 h1) | – | |||
| 9 h2 r2/3 | 3290 | Gabe Jennings | USA | 3:40.96 (6 h2) | 3:40.10 (9 h2) | – | |||
| 10 h1 r2/3 | 1796 | Andy Graffin | GBR | 3:39.75 (11 h3) | 3:42.72 (10 h1) | – | |||
| 10 h2 r2/3 | 1653 | Berhanu Alemu | ETH | 3:38.79 (5 h3) | 3:41.09 (10 h2) | – | |||
| 11 h1 r2/3 | 1609 | José Antonio Redolat | ESP | 3:38.66 (2 h1) | 3:45.46 (11 h1) | – | |||
| 11 h2 r2/3 | 1010 | Kamal Boulahfane |  ALG | 3:39.01 (3 h1) | 3:43.98 (11 h2) | – | |||
| 12 h1 r2/3 | 1017 | Noureddine Morceli | ALG | 3:38.41 (2 h3) | 4:00.78 (12 h1) | – | |||
| 12 h2 r2/3 | 3062 | Mohamed Babiker Yagoub |  SUD | 3:39.52 (9 h3) | 3:50.60 (12 h2) | – | |||
| 7 h2 r1/3 | 2524 | Adil Kaouch | MAR | 3:41.06 (7 h2) | – | – | |||
| 8 h1 r1/3 | 2372 | William Chirchir | KEN | 3:40.22 (8 h1) | – | – | |||
| 8 h2 r1/3 | 1013 | Mohamed Khaldi | ALG | 3:41.16 (8 h2) | – | – | |||
| 9 h1 r1/3 | 2142 | James Nolan |  IRL | 3:40.50 (9 h1) | – | – | |||
| 9 h2 r1/3 | 2903 | Vyacheslav Shabunin |  RUS | 3:41.52 (9 h2) | – | – | |||
| 10 h1 r1/3 | 3432 | Darko Radomirović |  SCG | 3:43.57 (10 h1) | – | – | |||
| 10 h2 r1/3 | 3200 | Ivan Heshko |  UKR | 3:41.80 (10 h2) | – | – | |||
| 11 h1 r1/3 | 1070 | Nick Howarth |  AUS | 3:45.46 (11 h1) | – | – | |||
| 11 h2 r1/3 | 2991 | Alexis Sharangabo |  RWA | 3:44.06 (11 h2) | – | – | |||
| 12 h1 r1/3 | 1458 | Branko Zorko |  CRO | 3:46.16 (12 h1) | – | – | |||
| 12 h2 r1/3 | 3450 | Chungu Chipako |  ZAM | 3:49.79 (12 h2) | – | – | |||
| 12 h3 r1/3 | 3044 | Ibrahim Mohamed Aden |  SOM | 3:40.33 (12 h3) | – | – | |||
| 13 h1 r1/3 | 2540 | Francis Munthali |  MAW | 3:46.34 (13 h1) | – | – | |||
| 13 h2 r1/3 | 1855 | José Luis Ebatela |  GEQ | 4:06.14 (13 h2) | – | – | |||
| 13 h3 r1/3 | 2767 | Rui Silva |  POR | 3:41.93 (13 h3) | – | – | |||
| 14 h3 r1/3 | 2599 | Sidi Mohamed Ould Bidjel |  MTN | 4:03.74 (14 h3) | – | – | |||
| AC h2 r1/3 | 1820 | Tony Whiteman | GBR | – (DNF h2) | – | – |
Round One (25 September 2000)
Top six in each heat and next six fastest advanced to the semi-finals.
Heat One (10:40)
| Pos | Lane | Athlete | NOC | Time (A) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 | Hicham El Guerrouj | MAR | 3:38.57 | |||
| 2 | 2 | José Antonio Redolat | ESP | 3:38.66 | |||
| 3 | 10 | Kamal Boulahfane | ALG | 3:39.01 | |||
| 4 | 3 | John Mayock | GBR | 3:39.08 | |||
| 5 | 8 | Hailu Mekonnen | ETH | 3:39.09 | |||
| 6 | 12 | Michael Stember | USA | 3:39.13 | |||
| 7 | 6 | Julius Achon | UGA | 3:39.40 | |||
| 8 | 5 | William Chirchir | KEN | 3:40.22 | |||
| 9 | 13 | James Nolan | IRL | 3:40.50 | |||
| 10 | 11 | Darko Radomirović | SCG | 3:43.57 | |||
| 11 | 4 | Nick Howarth | AUS | 3:45.46 | |||
| 12 | 9 | Branko Zorko | CRO | 3:46.16 | |||
| 13 | 1 | Francis Munthali | MAW | 3:46.34 |
Heat Two (10:48)
| Pos | Lane | Athlete | NOC | Time (A) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | Mehdi Baala | FRA | 3:40.35 | |||
| 2 | 5 | Bernard Lagat | KEN | 3:40.42 | |||
| 3 | 1 | Juan Carlos Higuero | ESP | 3:40.60 | |||
| 4 | 12 | Kevin Sullivan | CAN | 3:40.80 | |||
| 5 | 2 | Daniel Zegeye | ETH | 3:40.91 | |||
| 6 | 14 | Gabe Jennings | USA | 3:40.96 | |||
| 7 | 13 | Adil Kaouch | MAR | 3:41.06 | |||
| 8 | 6 | Mohamed Khaldi | ALG | 3:41.16 | |||
| 9 | 7 | Vyacheslav Shabunin | RUS | 3:41.52 | |||
| 10 | 9 | Ivan Heshko | UKR | 3:41.80 | |||
| 11 | 8 | Alexis Sharangabo | RWA | 3:44.06 | |||
| 12 | 11 | Chungu Chipako | ZAM | 3:49.79 | |||
| 13 | 4 | José Luis Ebatela | GEQ | 4:06.14 | |||
| 10 | Tony Whiteman | GBR | – |
Heat Three (10:56)
| Pos | Lane | Athlete | NOC | Time (A) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 | Noah Ngeny | KEN | 3:38.03 | |||
| 2 | 14 | Noureddine Morceli | ALG | 3:38.41 | |||
| 3 | 3 | Andrés Díaz | ESP | 3:38.54 | |||
| 4 | 1 | Youssef Baba | MAR | 3:38.68 | |||
| 5 | 4 | Berhanu Alemu | ETH | 3:38.79 | |||
| 6 | 5 | Driss Maazouzi | FRA | 3:38.88 | |||
| 7 | 13 | Jason Pyrah | USA | 3:38.94 | |||
| 8 | 9 | Marko Koers | NED | 3:39.16 | |||
| 9 | 12 | Mohamed Babiker Yagoub | SUD | 3:39.52 | |||
| 10 | 2 | Hudson de Souza | BRA | 3:39.70 | |||
| 11 | 6 | Andy Graffin | GBR | 3:39.75 | |||
| 12 | 11 | Ibrahim Mohamed Aden | SOM | 3:40.33 | |||
| 13 | 10 | Rui Silva | POR | 3:41.93 | |||
| 14 | 8 | Sidi Mohamed Ould Bidjel | MTN | 4:03.74 |
Semi-Finals (27 September 2000)
Top five in each heat and next two fastest advanced to the final.
Heat One (18:30)
| Pos | Lane | Athlete | NOC | Time (A) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 | Noah Ngeny | KEN | 3:39.29 | |||
| 2 | 2 | Kevin Sullivan | CAN | 3:39.66 | |||
| 3 | 11 | Jason Pyrah | USA | 3:40.04 | |||
| 4 | 9 | Youssef Baba | MAR | 3:40.16 | |||
| 5 | 8 | Driss Maazouzi | FRA | 3:40.23 | |||
| 6 | 6 | Julius Achon | UGA | 3:40.32 | |||
| 7 | 10 | Hailu Mekonnen | ETH | 3:40.92 | |||
| 8 | 3 | Hudson de Souza | BRA | 3:41.00 | |||
| 9 | 1 | Michael Stember | USA | 3:42.30 | |||
| 10 | 7 | Andy Graffin | GBR | 3:42.72 | |||
| 11 | 5 | José Antonio Redolat | ESP | 3:45.46 | |||
| 12 | 4 | Noureddine Morceli | ALG | 4:00.78 |
Heat Two (18:40)
| Pos | Lane | Athlete | NOC | Time (A) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | Hicham El Guerrouj | MAR | 3:37.60 | |||
| 2 | 10 | Bernard Lagat | KEN | 3:37.84 | |||
| 3 | 11 | Daniel Zegeye | ETH | 3:38.08 | |||
| 4 | 4 | Mehdi Baala | FRA | 3:38.15 | |||
| 5 | 12 | Juan Carlos Higuero | ESP | 3:38.37 | |||
| 6 | 2 | Andrés Díaz | ESP | 3:38.41 | |||
| 7 | 5 | John Mayock | GBR | 3:38.68 | |||
| 8 | 7 | Marko Koers | NED | 3:39.42 | |||
| 9 | 9 | Gabe Jennings | USA | 3:40.10 | |||
| 10 | 3 | Berhanu Alemu | ETH | 3:41.09 | |||
| 11 | 1 | Kamal Boulahfane | ALG | 3:43.98 | |||
| 12 | 8 | Mohamed Babiker Yagoub | SUD | 3:50.60 |
Final (29 September 2000 — 20:00)
| Pos | Lane | Athlete | NOC | Time (A) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 | Noah Ngeny | KEN | 3:32.07 | |||
| 2 | 1 | Hicham El Guerrouj | MAR | 3:32.32 | |||
| 3 | 7 | Bernard Lagat | KEN | 3:32.44 | |||
| 4 | 8 | Mehdi Baala | FRA | 3:34.14 | |||
| 5 | 2 | Kevin Sullivan | CAN | 3:35.50 | |||
| 6 | 3 | Daniel Zegeye | ETH | 3:36.78 | |||
| 7 | 10 | Andrés Díaz | ESP | 3:37.27 | |||
| 8 | 4 | Juan Carlos Higuero | ESP | 3:38.91 | |||
| 9 | 5 | John Mayock | GBR | 3:39.41 | |||
| 10 | 6 | Jason Pyrah | USA | 3:39.84 | |||
| 11 | 12 | Driss Maazouzi | FRA | 3:45.46 | |||
| 12 | 9 | Youssef Baba | MAR | 3:56.08 |
Splits
| 400 m | 54.14 | Youssef Baba | |
| 800 m | 1:54.77 | Youssef Baba | |
| 1,200 m | 2:51.67 | Hicham El Guerrouj | |