WCH Tokyo 25 facts and figures: men's 1500m

Last three sets of World Athletics Championships medallists

2023: 1 Josh Kerr (GBR) – 3:29.38, 2 Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR) – 3:29.65, 3 Narve Gilje Nordas (NOR) – 3:29.68
2022: 1 Jake Wightman (GBR) – 3:29.23, 2 Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR) – 3:29.47, 3 Mohamed Katir (ESP) – 3:29.90
2019: 1 Timothy Cheruiyot (KEN) – 3:29.26, 2 Taoufik Makhloufi (ALG) – 3:31.38, 3 Marcin Lewandowski (POL) – 3:31.46

Last two sets of Olympic medallists

Fastest winning times in World Athletics Championships history

Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR) – 3:27.65 (1999)
Jake Wightman (GBR) – 3:29.23 (2022)
Timothy Cheruiyot (KEN) – 3:29.26 (2019)

Slowest winning time in World Athletics Championships history

Steve Cram (GBR) – 3:41.59 (1983)

Best marks on Japanese soil

​​3:28.32 1 Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR) - Tokyo (Olympics) 07.08.2021
3:29.01 2 Timothy Cheruiyot (KEN) - Tokyo (Olympics) 07.08.2021
3:29.05 3 Josh Kerr (GBR) - Tokyo (Olympics) 07.08.2021

Best marks on Asian soil

​​3:28.32 1 Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR) - Tokyo (Olympics) 07.08.2021
3:29.01 2 Timothy Cheruiyot (KEN) - Tokyo (Olympics) 07.08.2021
3:29.05 3 Josh Kerr (GBR) - Tokyo (Olympics) 07.08.2021

Biggest winning margins

2.12s – 2019: Timothy Cheruiyot (KEN) – 3:29.26, Taoufik Makhloufi (ALG) – 3:31.38
2.00s – 1991: Noureddine Morceli (ALG) – 3:32.84, Wilfred Kirochi (KEN) – 3:34.84
1.55s – 1995: Noureddine Morceli (ALG) – 3:33.73, Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR) – 3:35.28

0.08s – 2009: Yusuf Saad Kamel (BRN) – 3:35.93, Deresse Mekonnen (ETH) – 3:36.01
0.12s – 2005: Rashid Ramzi (BRN) – 3:37.88, Adil Kaouch (MAR) – 3:38.00
0.23s – 2007: Bernard Lagat (USA) – 3:34.77, Rashid Ramzi (BRN) – 3:35.00
0.23s – 2011: Asbel Kiprop (KEN) – 3:35.69, Silas Kiplagat (KEN) – 3:35.92
0.23s – 2015: Asbel Kiprop (KEN) – 3:34.40, Elijah Manangoi (KEN) – 3:34.63

Best mark by round

Heat - 3:33.94 Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR), 2023
Semifinal - 3:32.69 Yared Nuguse (USA), 2023
Final - 3:27.65 Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR), 1999

Multiple winners

1991/93/95 - Noureddine Morceli (ALG)
1997/99/01/03 - Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR)
2011/13/15 - Asbel Kiprop (KEN)

Winners by country

5 - Kenya
4 - Morocco
3 - Algeria
3 - Great Britain
2 - Bahrain
1 - United States
1 - Somalia

Five historic facts

• The last five global 1500m finals (three world, two Olympic) have been won with times inside the 3:30-barrier
• Four of the 19 world 1500m finals have been won with sub-3:30 times. In total, there have been 10 sub-3:30 performances in World Championships history
• Kenya won five successive world 1500m titles between 2011-2019 but no medals at all in the 2022 or 2023 finals
• The United States’ only title in the 1500m was won on Japanese soil in Osaka in 2007
• Algeria won both the men’s and women’s 1500m titles when Tokyo staged the 1991 World Championships (Noureddine Morceli/Hassiba Boulmerka)

​​Potential storylines

• The entry-list features the last three world champions (Josh Kerr GBR, Jake Wightman GBR, Timothy Cheruiyot KEN), the last two Olympic champions (Cole Hocker USA, Jakob Ingebrigtsen NOR), world leader Azeddine Habz (FRA), world U20 record-holder Phanuel Koech (KEN) and Diamond League winner Niels Laros (NED)
• Noureddine Morceli (ALG) remains the youngest winner at 21y/185d in Tokyo in 1991. Can Laros or Koech win gold at 20 and 18 respectively?
• Can Ingebrigtsen complete the set of major 1500m titles despite not having raced outdoors in 2025?
• Can Laros become the first Dutch medallist in the 1500m?