Kenyan charges to her third successive Olympic crown, while Jessica Hull takes silver and Georgia Bell’s rapid rise continues as she smashes British mark for bronze
Faith Kipyegon cemented her status as the world greatest female 1500m runner in history – if not the best ever on both the women’s and men’s side – as she dismantled the Games record to win her third successive Olympic gold medal over the distance.
With a searing finish, the Kenyan flew to a time of 3:51.29, with the ever-improving Australian Jessica Hull winning silver in 3:52.66. There was also a quite brilliant run from Georgia Bell, who removed almost four seconds from her PB and broke Laura Muir’s British record to take bronze in 3:52.61.
Muir, the 2021 Olympic silver medallist, lowered her PB with 3:53.37 to come home just behind Ethiopia’s Diribe Welteji, who was fourth and also ran her quickest ever time, 3:52.61.
No athlete in history has ever won three Olympic 1500m gold medals but Kipyegon was imperious as she strode away from the chasing pack in the latter stages.
Hull has turned herself in to a serious contender on the world stage and set the 2000m world record in the run-up to these Games, while Bell’s is a truly remarkable story.
The former duathlete only returned to athletics last summer but, under the guidance of coaches Trevor Painter and Jenny Meadows – mentors to Olympic 800m champion Keely Hodgkinson – she has gone from strength to strength. Bell was born in Paris before moving to the UK and the French capital will now have a special place in her heart for a very different reason.
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