Faith Kipyegon Cruises Into 1,500m Final At World Championships - Day 2

The 2024 Paris Olympic gold and silver medalists in the 1500m, Faith Kipyegon of Kenya and Jessica Hull of Australia, both advanced to Tuesday's final. Kipyegon, a three-time world 1500m champion, controlled the first heat from the front and won in 4:00.34 on Day 2 at the 2025 World Championships Tokyo 25 on Sunday (14). She said that she felt comfortable running at the front.

"I just wanted to execute it step-by-step to get to the final," she told Race Results Weekly.  "That's the main thing, just to go in front and just control the race."  She added: "I just wanted to keep myself out of trouble."

Kipyegon's teammate Dorcus Ewoi took second in 4:00.65 and got a big hug from Kipyegon just after the race.  Freweyni Hailu of Ethiopia and Sinclaire Johnson of the United States finished third and fourth, respectively.

Read more: Jimmy Gressier Finishes Fast, Wins World Championships 10,000m Gold at Tokyo 25

Hull didn't win the second heat, but was a very close second to Kenya's Nelly Chepchirchir, 4:06.86 to 4:06.87.  American Nikki Hiltz was third, followed by Poland's Klaudia Kazimierska.  Gabriela DeBues-Stafford of Canada, who didn't make it to the 2022 or 2023 World Championships and also missed last summer's Olympic Games, finished fifth to advance to her first outdoor global final since the Olympics here in 2021.

"It feels really good," said an emotional DeBues-Stafford.  "My goals in the past have been to be in the hunt for medals, but this year was about just surviving the rounds.  The three or four years that I've been away the 1500 has just moved on so drastically.  You used to be safe, basically, if you were a sub-4:00 athlete, and now every round several sub-4:00 women have gone home."

HABZ, INGEBRIGTSEN AND KOECH FAIL TO ADVANCE IN 1500M

There were significant results in the first round of the men's 1500m.  Three presumed medal favorites --Azzedine Habz of France, Jakob Ingebrigtsen of Norway and Phanuel Kipkosgei Koech of Kenya-- failed to advance to the semi-finals.  Habz, the world leader with a best time of 3:27.49, missed advancing by just one place in the first heat where he finished seventh.  Ingebrigtsen, who had not competed since winning the world indoor 1500m title last March due to an Achilles injury, finished eighth in the fourth and final heat.

"It's a first-time experience that I haven't got to the next round," Ingebrigtsen told the flash quotes team here.  "Of course, it's very disappointing but at the same time it is a reality check. This is an event that's very competitive. You need to prepare your best and of course, I'm not there."

Kosgei, who ran in the same heat as Ingebrigtsen, tripped and fell just past the bell.  He tried to catch up, but ended up 12th.  

Reigning world champion Josh Kerr of Great Britain finished second in the first heat and advanced with little drama. 

"I am coming here as someone who's done it before and I am coming to do it again," Kerr told the flash quotes team.  He continued: "I am here to win, but it does not come from one race. I want to stay present in what I am doing and work hard."

Other key athletes who advanced include the Netherlands' Niels Laros (third in heat two), Britain's Jake Wightman (first in heat four) and Neil Gourley (third in heat three), USA's Cole Hocker (first in heat three) and Jonah Koech (third in heat four), and Norway's Narve Gilje Nordas (first in heat one).