Zurich Diamond League: 1500m Thriller; Faith Kipyegon edges Sifan Hassan, Cheruiyot beats Olympic champion Ingebrigsten

It was a mouth-watering 1500m battle at the Zurich Diamond League as Faith Kipyegon won a thriller with Sifan Hassan in women’s event. Timothy Cheruiyot beat Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigsten in another race.

Faith Kipygeon win tough battle with Sifan Hassan at Zurich Diamond League

It was exciting to see two dominant long-distance runners (of this year) battling it out to finish their season on a high.

Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon was always the favorite in the 1500m distance, while the Netherlands' Sifan Hassan put up a brave fight down the homestretch. However, Kipyegon had just enough to hold Hassan off and win in 3:58.33. Sifan Hassan clocked 3.58.55.

American runner Josette Norris capped her breakthrough 2021 season by finishing 3rd in 4:00.41.

Chanelle Price was the pacemaker in the early laps but as she slowed down, Kipyegon started making ground. The Kenyans were content to lead the main field in 2:10.5. Australia’s Linden Hall led the final at the bell in 2:59.8 but the main race was yet to begin.

1500mFaith #Kipyegon & @tim_cheruiyot #WDLFinal📸 @diamond_league pic.twitter.com/JTXCCGzCLZ

— Wanda Diamond League (@Diamond_League) September 9, 2021

Olympic champion Kipyegon began pushing on the backstretch and only Sifan Hassan and Norris could stay close to her with 200 to go. Around the final bend, Norris fell back and it was the battle everyone eagerly waited for – Faith Kipyegon vs Sifan Hassan.

Kipyegon led down the home stretch but could not open up a gap on Hassan. In the final 50m, Hassan went all cylinders and was on Kenyan’s shoulder. The latter, though, found a little something in reserve to keep Sifan Hassan in second at the Zurich Diamond League.

Timothy Cheruiyot beats Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigsten at Zurich Diamond League

After Jakob Ingebrigsten of Norway beat Kenya’s Timothy Cheruiyot to win the Olympic gold – his first win over Cheruiyot in 13 races – it signaled a turning point in their rivalry.

A #WDLFinal to remember at #ZurichDL!That's it from the 2021 Wanda #DiamondLeague - see you next year!📸 @matthewquine / @diamond_league

— Wanda Diamond League (@Diamond_League) September 9, 2021

Ingebrigsten then beat the Kenyan again two-weeks later at the Pre-Classic. It seemed as if the balance had permanently shifted, and the Norwegian – still only 20-years-old -- had become an unstoppable force. Jakob’s father and coach, Gjert, even went so far as to tell Norwegian TV that Jakob would never lose to Cheruiyot again.

It only took the Kenyan runner a month to disprove that, as he won his fifth straight Diamond League final after an epic battle. Cheruiyot clocked 3:31.37, while Ingebrigsten cross the line in 3:31.45.

Just as in the women’s 1500m at Zurich Diamond League, the two favorites began to separate in the closing stages. However, even though Ingebrigtsen had run smartly over the last lap, the youngster could never quite close the gap to Cheruiyot, who held his ground for a big win.