Yusuf Saad Kamel of Bahrain celebrates after winning the gold medal in the men's 1500m final (© Getty Images)
With a pack of 10 runners still in the hunt off the final turn, a surprise was in the making. And so it was when Yusuf Saad Kamel was the swiftest of the kickers to take the first gold medal for Bahrain at these championships.
Kamel, the former Kenyan Gregory Konchellah, made his name as a fast if not medal-winning 800m runner, and that background came in handy when he managed to kick past and then hold off Ethiopian Deresse Mekonnen in 3:35.93. Good family genes didn’t hurt; Kamel’s father is two-time World 800m champion Willy Konchellah.
With Mekonnen leading a tightly-bunched pack through the bell in a modest 2:57.04, the final lap was bound to be a scorcher, and it was. Mekonnen, who was near the front throughout, made his move to gap the field just past the bell, but he managed to lose no one. Instead, Kenyan Augustine Choge, who controlled the sluggish tempo early on, kept applying the pressure, with Moroccan Mohamed Moustaoui moving up as well midway through the back straight.
Off the final turn, with Mekonnen still at the front, only a pair of runners - Abdalaati Iguider of Morocco and American Leo Manzano - were clearly out of contention. Kamel made his decisive move about midway through the homestraight, took the lead and was never headed.
Mekonnen held on for second in 3:36.01 to take the silver, the first medal of any shade for Ethiopia in this event.
In the battle for bronze, experience made the difference.
Defending champion Bernard Lagat, who was also runner-up in 2001, found himself in a bit of trouble just off the turn, trapped on the inside lane. But with the quickest reaction anyone in the race produced, Lagat spotted an outlet to his right, and immediately took advantage. Moving over two lanes, the 34-year-old sped past world leader Augustine Choge to take the bronze in 3:36.20, to complete his collection of World championships medals.
Conversely, Asbel Kiprop, one of the strong pre-race favourites, let his relative immaturity show. Running at the back of the pack until the bell, the 20-year-old left himself a considerable amount of real estate to cover, ultimately a bit too much. To his credit he did manage to make up a lot of territory, but forced to run very wide around and off the final turn, his sizzling kick ran out of room and he had to settle for fourth in 3:36.47.
In the blanket finish, Choge was next (3:36.53), ahead of Moustaoui (3:36.57) and Frenchman Mehdi Baala (3:36.99). American Lopez Lomong, an Olympic semifinalist last year, rounded out the top eight in 3:37.62.
Bob Ramsak for the IAAF
Kamel, the former Kenyan Gregory Konchellah, made his name as a fast if not medal-winning 800m runner, and that background came in handy when he managed to kick past and then hold off Ethiopian Deresse Mekonnen in 3:35.93. Good family genes didn’t hurt; Kamel’s father is two-time World 800m champion Willy Konchellah.
With Mekonnen leading a tightly-bunched pack through the bell in a modest 2:57.04, the final lap was bound to be a scorcher, and it was. Mekonnen, who was near the front throughout, made his move to gap the field just past the bell, but he managed to lose no one. Instead, Kenyan Augustine Choge, who controlled the sluggish tempo early on, kept applying the pressure, with Moroccan Mohamed Moustaoui moving up as well midway through the back straight.
Off the final turn, with Mekonnen still at the front, only a pair of runners - Abdalaati Iguider of Morocco and American Leo Manzano - were clearly out of contention. Kamel made his decisive move about midway through the homestraight, took the lead and was never headed.
Mekonnen held on for second in 3:36.01 to take the silver, the first medal of any shade for Ethiopia in this event.
In the battle for bronze, experience made the difference.
Defending champion Bernard Lagat, who was also runner-up in 2001, found himself in a bit of trouble just off the turn, trapped on the inside lane. But with the quickest reaction anyone in the race produced, Lagat spotted an outlet to his right, and immediately took advantage. Moving over two lanes, the 34-year-old sped past world leader Augustine Choge to take the bronze in 3:36.20, to complete his collection of World championships medals.
Conversely, Asbel Kiprop, one of the strong pre-race favourites, let his relative immaturity show. Running at the back of the pack until the bell, the 20-year-old left himself a considerable amount of real estate to cover, ultimately a bit too much. To his credit he did manage to make up a lot of territory, but forced to run very wide around and off the final turn, his sizzling kick ran out of room and he had to settle for fourth in 3:36.47.
In the blanket finish, Choge was next (3:36.53), ahead of Moustaoui (3:36.57) and Frenchman Mehdi Baala (3:36.99). American Lopez Lomong, an Olympic semifinalist last year, rounded out the top eight in 3:37.62.
Bob Ramsak for the IAAF
