Kenya’s Timothy Cheruiyot led from gun to tape to win the men’s 1500 metres on the final day of the World Athletics Championship on Sunday.
In an astonishing run leading from pillar to post, the Kenyan timed 3min 29.26sec to secure the fifth gold for the country.
Algeria’s 2012 Olympic champion Taoufik Makhloufi took silver in 3:31.38 whilst Poland’s Marcin Lewandowski took the bronze in a time of 3:31.46.
The 23-year-old’s victory put to an end a painful run of silver medal performances including the 2017 world final in London behind compatriot Elijah Manangoi.
Manangoi was unable to defend his title as he has an ankle injury.
Cheruiyot set off at a fast pace and by the time they had reached the marker for three laps to go the field was already spread out.
His compatriot Ronald Kwemoi was the only runner able to keep with him but he eventually found the pace too much and was swallowed up with over a lap to go.
Makhloufi, who came out of retirement this year because he said he missed the “story and the glory”, gave chase along with European champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen.
Cheruiyot did not falter and, rounding the bend, looked to have a chance of breaking Hicham El Guerrouj’s world record.
However, the effort began to take its toll but he still had plenty in hand to cross the line well clear.
Makhloufi added another silver to his growing tally — he finished second in both the 800m and 1,500m finals at the 2016 Olympics.
Lewandowski, who is fortunate to be an athlete at all after being hit by a bus when he was seven-years-old, timed his late run to perfection and passed the tiring Ingebrigtsen for a deserved
