Kenya's Faith Kipyegon after winning the women's 1,500m final yesterday. She broke the 33-year-old Games record set by Romanian Paula Ivan at the 1988 Seoul Games, clocking 3min 53.11sec.
PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
TOKYO • Faith Kipyegon retained the Olympic women's 1,500m title yesterday to put an end to Ethiopia-born Dutchwoman Sifan Hassan's audacious bid for a unprecedented track treble.
The Kenyan broke the 33-year-old Games record set by Romanian Paula Ivan at the 1988 Seoul Games as she clocked 3min 53.11sec in hot, humid conditions at the Olympic Stadium.
European champion Laura Muir claimed silver in 3:54.50, with Hassan taking bronze in 3:55.86.
Hassan had it all to do in the 1,500m against the formidable Kipyegon, who was pushed into silver at the 2019 Doha world championships.
However, the world champion can still make it a golden double, following her 5,000m title, in the 10,000m today.
There was redemption for Ugandan Joshua Cheptegei as he made up for his silver in the 10,000m by winning the 5,000m title, succeeding two-time champion Mo Farah, who failed to qualify for Tokyo.
The world-record holder finished in 12min 58.15sec, ahead of Canada's Mohammed Ahmed (12:58.61) and American Paul Chelimo (12:59.05).
Cheptegei slipped up tactically in the 10,000m last week and was beaten by Ethiopian Selemon Barega, but there was to be no repeat shock yesterday.
"It's really a great moment," he said. "I made a small mistake and I was regretting having to become a silver medallist. I came here to become an Olympic champion and my dream has been fulfilled today in a beautiful evening.
"I knew a lot of guys were strong, so I had to take them through the lap and whoever was the strongest in the mind (would win). I knew I was strong in the mind because I broke a couple of world records."
The Bahamas' Shaunae Miller-Uibo retained her 400m crown, completing a double for the Caribbean nation 24 hours after compatriot Steven Gardiner won the men's title.
She surged to the line in 48.36sec, with Marileidy Paulino of the Dominican Republic taking silver and Allyson Felix of the United States claiming bronze.
Felix, 35, became the most decorated female track athlete in Olympic history with her 10th medal, including six golds, and joined Carl Lewis for the most medals won by an American track athlete.
Felix, who can make it a record 11th medal in the 4x400m relay final today, said: "It was a fight to get here. When I was younger, I never really thought about making a final. This time, you get older and it seems harder... It is a very humbling experience but very rewarding to see the progress."
Lewis sent his congratulations, tweeting: "35 never looked so good. What an amazing career and inspiration. Now on to the relay."
In the other events, Poland's Dawid Tomala took the 50km walk gold, despite completing the distance only once before earlier this year. "This was only the second 50km in my life and I win it," he said after his victory time of 3:50:08. "It is crazy, right?"
Italy's Antonella Palmisano gave herself the perfect 30th birthday gift by winning the women's 20km walk (1:29:12) title, while China's Liu Shiying won the women's javelin gold (66.34m).
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS
