Britain’s Josh Kerr had to settle for Olympic silver in the 1500m behind surprise champion Cole Hocker, while Jakob Ingebrigtsen went without a medal.
As world gold medallist Kerr and defending Olympic champion Ingebrigtsen fought out their long-awaited title battle, American Hocker found his way past them both on the inside to claim his first outdoor world title.
With a perfectly timed final attempt, Hocker took gold in an Olympic record time of three minutes and 27.65 seconds.
Kerr, who improved on her Tokyo Olympic bronze, crossed the line in a British record of 3:27.79, while another American athlete, Yared Nuguse, ran a personal best of 3:27.80 to take bronze.
Norway’s Ingebrigtsen led from the front but faded in the closing stages and missed out on the podium in fourth, having lost out in successive world 1500m finals to Kerr and fellow Briton Jake Wightman since his triumph in Tokyo.
“It’s the fastest I’ve ever run. It’s the best 1500m performance I could ask for – a British record and a personal best,” Kerr said.
“I told you we were going to do a 1,500-meter race that would span generations and we did it today.”
Kerr’s spectacular victory in 2023 sparked a fierce rivalry with Ingebrigtsen and the two have since traded public barbs.
The 26-year-old, who won world indoor 3,000m gold in March, was bidding to become the first Briton to win Olympic 1,500m gold since Sebastian Coe beat teammate Steve Cram at the 1984 Los Angeles Games.
It was Coe himself, president of World Athletics, who predicted that the “sumptuous” rivalry – which recalled his own with Steve Ovett – could produce “a race for the ages” in Paris.
But with the crowd rapt as the long-awaited fight unfolded before their eyes, Kerr closing on Ingebrigtsen on the final bend and with their attentions fixed on each other, Hocker snuck through to claim a shock and unexpected victory.
Hocker breaks the script and surprises the favorites
The two gold medal favourites appeared to incredible fanfare inside the Stade de France, both well supported as British and Norwegian flags waved in the stands.
Ingebrigtsen, the fourth fastest man of all time over 1,500 metres, was aiming to become the first man since Coe to win successive Olympic titles.
Kerr, who visited the stadium last year to imagine what his crowning moment would be like, was looking to assert himself as the undisputed reigning king of the men’s 1500m race.
As the Scot outclassed his main rival in almost identical style to his world title triumph at the end of a fascinating final, the British fans in attendance in large numbers were able to taste the gold again, night after night. Keely Hodgkinson’s success in the 800 metres.
Those fans, along with Kerr and Ingebrigtsen, hadn’t counted on Hocker spoiling the party.
At the end of a ferociously fast race, in which Ingebrigtsen set the pace with a 54.9-second first lap as the two heavyweights became fixated on destroying each other, it was Hocker who had the legs to keep going.
Sixth in Tokyo three years ago and seventh at last year’s World Championships, this was not a result anyone expected, with all the build-up focused on the rivalry that had seen the men’s 1500m emerge as the must-watch athletics final at Paris 2024.
Hocker, 23, ran a personal best of 3:30.59, improving it by almost three seconds, while leader Ingebrigtsen tightened the screw in trademark style.
Against all odds, the American seized the biggest opportunity of his fledgling career, raising his arms high as he crossed the finish line to the amazement of everyone, with Kerr and Ingebrigtsen in his rearview mirror.
Team GB’s Neil Gourley finished tenth in a time of 3:30.88.
“Of course, I was going for that gold medal, but it’s a better medal than the one I got three years ago,” Kerr said.
“It was fast, the crowd was absolutely electric. We did it, we promised a fast and excellent race, and that was the result.”
“I ran faster than I’ve ever run before, by almost two seconds. Today it wasn’t enough. That’s sport. I’m very proud of myself. I left no stone unturned and that’s the result today.”
Ingebrigtsen later admitted that her fast start had not been intentional and ultimately proved to be her downfall.
“I started with a 54-second lap. That wasn’t the plan at all. I was at least two seconds faster,” said Ingebrigtsen, whose winter training was interrupted by an Achilles tendon injury.
“I thought about slowing down, but on the next lap I was going almost at the same speed. I ruined it by going too fast.”
