With the stage set for the men's 1500-meter, it was clear that the favorite was the Norwegian star Jakob Ingebrigtsen. Ingebrigtsen had set the record for the men's 1500m in Tokyo with an incredible time of 3:38.32, and he was on pace to beat that record in Paris. However, things changed when American Cole Hocker turned on the jets in the final lap.
Ingebrigtsen and Josh Kerr major upset
Not only did Hocker defeat the Tokyo Olympics' record-breaking gold medalist, but he also beat Josh Kerr, the 2023 World Champion. Kerr put on a stunning performance in 2023, coming up from behind the Norwegian star and stealing gold from him. Hocker was also in this championship race. However, he wouldn't medal; in fact, he didn't even hit the top five. Instead, Hocker ended his run in seventh place, making him seem like an unthreatening opponent.
Both Ingebrigtsen and Kerr are absolute machines when it comes to running this 1500m race. When watching them, it's clear that every movement is effortless. Both could be seen leading the pack in the World Championships and 2024 Olympic qualifiers. It wasn't any different in this final race. Neither seemed to expect Hocker's come from behind burst.
Cole Hocker makes all the right moves
The odds were against the American runner the minute the race began. He was going up against the best of the best, but the determination was clear. Hocker had no plans to set the pace of this one. He hung back at the start before slipping behind his fellow Team USA runners, Yared Nuguse and Hobbs Kessler. Ingebrigtsen was trying to set an impossible pace, and Hocker knew he had to position himself properly if he wanted to make a pass.
The battle seemed to be between the Norwegian, Kerr, and Kenya's Brian Komen and Timothy Cheruiyot. The perfect move happened when Nuguse slipped behind Kerr freeing up space behind him for Hocker to join the stream and pass Komen. It would be an aggressive three-man lineup of Nuguse, Hocker, and Hobbs that would continue to press the three runners who stood on the podium in Tokyo.
Bump from behind and slip around
With time running out, Cole Hocker got as close to Ingebrigtsen as he could, slightly passing Kerr. He pressured the star from the inside of the track, and this seemed to do the job. Ingebrigtsen waivered for a moment and Kerr took off. However, Hocker wasn't going to let Kerr benefit the most from his brilliant move. The American passed the Norwegian on the inside and was now neck and neck with the World Champ.
Jakob Ingebrigtsen had no gas left in the tank as he fell off, and USA's Nuguse pulled in front, causing another upset. Fellow American Hobbs would land right behind the Norwegian to grab fifth place. The biggest upset, however, was Hocker putting everything he had into his last push. With the announcers ready to shout Kerr's name, the American passed by and crossed the finish line, stunning the world.
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