Zurich Diamond League 2024: USA's Yared Nuguse wins close contest against Jakob Ingebrigtsen to claim men's 1500m title

Yared Nuguse had won bronze in men’s 1500m at Paris Paralympics 2024.

It was Yared Nuguse’s turn to join the club at Zurich Diamond League 2024. On a night when reigning Olympic champions struggled to get to grips in the Zurich rain, the third man in the Paris final became the latest rival to overhaul Jakob Ingebrigtsen to claim a notable victory in a showpiece 1500m race on Thursday.

There were no medals on the line in the last Wanda Diamond League meeting before the final in Brussels on 13 and 14 September, but that mattered little to the Olympic bronze medallist from the USA as he swept past Ingebrigtsen halfway down the home straight to claim a famous victory in 3:29.21. On an evening of several upsets, Nuguse’s 1500m masterclass shone brightest of all at Zurich Diamond League 2024.

His winning time (3:29.21) was immaterial. Like Jake Wightman in the world final in Oregon in 2022, Josh Kerr in last year’s world final in Budapest and his US teammate Cole Hocker in the Olympic final last month, Nuguse had managed to cook Ingebrigtsen’s metaphorical goose with a perfect piece of tactical execution.

To be fair to Ingebrigtsen, who finished second in 3:29.52, the world and Olympic 5000m had put his considerable reputation on the line despite having been hit by an infection since his stunning 7:17.55 world record over 300m in Silesia on 25 August.

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The 2021 Olympic 1500m champion was in his customary pole position when the second pacemaker, Britain’s Elliot Giles, the new world road mile record holder, dropped out at the bell – with only Nuguse at his heels.

Kerr and Hocker were both out of striking range. Seizing his chance, Nuguse drew level as he came off the bend, then kicked to victory.

Hocker passed Kerr to claim third place in 3:30.46. The young Dutchman Niels Laros also finished strongly, snatching fourth spot in 3:31.23. The out of sorts Kerr was fifth in 3:31.46.

“I just tried not to make any wrong moves,” said Nuguse. “Getting a medal at the Olympics has given me more self-confidence. “I hope to go for another win in Brussels. I really want that Diamond League trophy.”

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