France’s 10,000m gold medallist Jimmy Gressier took his second medal and Belgium’s Isaac Kimeli won his first ever global medal in an epic men’s 5000m final at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo on Sunday (21).
The USA’s Olympic 1500m champion Cole Hocker won gold in a sprint finish to win in 12:58.30, with Kimeli (12:58.78) and Gressier (12:59.33) hanging on for silver and bronze.
Bold Ingebrigsten
Defending champion and Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsten lined up for the final despite a difficult season that has seen him miss the entire summer build-up to Tokyo with an Achilles injury.
The Norwegian showed his true champion spirit by bolding taking the lead with three laps to go, but his characteristic surge was absent, and he was swamped by the chasing pack with 500 metres to go. He eventiually faded to tenth in 13:02.00.
Europeans celebrate successful seasons
Biniam Mehary led at the bell with Ethiopian teammate Hagos Gebrhiwet, Kimeli and Gressier hot on his heels.
Mehary led into the final turn, but the momentum was with Kimeli, Gressier and Hocker, who were all rapidly making ground. Kimeli hit the finishing straight in front, but Hocker looked fresher and pulled clear for gold, Kimeli had enough for silver sand Gressier celebrated another world medal at the line.
Kimeli and Gressier both won medals in April’s European Running Championships in Brussels-Leuven when the Belgian won bronze in the 10km and Gressier won gold in the half marathon. Their Tokyo exploits cap a fine year for the European duo.
"I started to believe"
"I'm so proud of myself," said Kimeli. "I think this one of the most remarkable Belgian medals ever. Maybe I was not among the medal pretenders here but after our first round on Friday I started to believe that everything is possible.
"I played a tactical game in the final. When I saw Jakob Ingebrigtsen come to the front, I didn't know what mark we were so I just followed his step. It was great move from me. Then I saw Hocker. He has the speed of a 1500m runner. It was important to be as close to him as possible. That is how I took this silver.
"It was very difficult season for me. I started it very late because I got injured after the world indoor championships. I tried to be strong and keep my goal to get to the world final in Tokyo. I was doing a lot of training camps in Kenya.
"The federation didn't cover all of them, but I suffered too much and stayed with my family. They cooked for me, they supported me through difficult periods. Then I said I have to be very focused and paid them off for everything they did for me."
Proud Gressier
"I'm going to come out of these championships with a lot of confidence," said Gressier post-race "I'm very happy to win a second medal for France. I wanted to get the double gold medals but I am very proud.
"I ended my season with a gold medal in the Diamond League in Zurich, a gold medal and a third place here in this 5000m. My season is super successful. And now I'm a little bit closer to my hero Zinèdine Zidane, even if it's still in my sport and not football."