AMERICAN YARED NUGUSE offered up a perfectly-timed attack to claim victory in a top-quality re-run of the Olympic final to win the men’s 1500m at the Zurich Diamond League on Thursday.
Nuguse, who claimed bronze in the Paris Games, outstripped Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen for the win in 3min 29.21sec.
Nuguse’s US teammate and Olympic champion Cole Hocker finished third, while Dutch runner Niels Laros came in fourth, with world champion Josh Kerr of Britain in fifth.
“This race was so highly anticipated and I knew that it was going to be quick in the end,” said Nuguse.
“Everyone could have got this race. I am glad I was still able to win.
“From the beginning, I just tried not to do any wrong move and to be where I wanted to be and then you need to be ready for the end.”
Nuguse added that it had been a “lot less stressful” than the Olympics.
“It is so much more fun running with these guys today!”
Ingebrigtsen beat Hocker in the Lausanne Diamond League, then went on to smash the 3,000m world record in Silesia, but picked up an infection which he said had hampered his preparations for Zurich.
“My race was better than I expected it yesterday. I still have not recovered,” the Norwegian said.
“It was worth it to come here and race. But one more week of recovery would have been better for me and given me more stimulation.”
Rarely has an event been as keenly contested in recent seasons as the men’s 1500m, and so it once again proved in front of a packed Letzigrund Stadium.
Slovenia’s Zan Rudolf was the opening pacemaker, taking the pack through the opening lap in 55.61sec.
The pace saw the field strung out in single file almost from the off.
- Fast finish -
Britain’s Elliot Giles, fresh from a world record in the road mile race, took over the pace setting, Ingebrigtsen sat on his shoulder, followed by Nuguse, Kerr and Hocker.
Giles stepped aside at the bell for the final lap, Ingebrigtsen in the lead.
Nuguse clung to his coattails, but a gap built on Kerr and the chasing pack.
As Nuguse took on the Norwegian down the home straight, Hocker made a late charge, but it was too late.
Nuguse edged Ingebrigtsen, Hocker coming in third, a different winner only serving to continue pushing the competition in the event.
“Tactically, it is always more difficult when you have a pacer, but it makes it interesting nevertheless,” said Hocker.
“In races like this, with such a field, it makes you appreciate even more when you win or do well.”
Going into the Paris Olympics, the narrative had all been about Ingebrigtsen avenging his world championships loss to Kerr.
Even World Athletics president Sebastian Coe, himself a two-time Olympic 1500m champion and whose career involved an intense rivalry with Steve Ovett, dubbed the tug-of-war between the two tremendous for the sport.
“It has an added piquancy because this is probably not a friendship made in heaven,” Coe said.
Kerr and Ingebrigtsen have traded barbs since the Scot swept past the Norwegian to snatch world gold in Budapest last year.
But both were upstaged at the Paris Games as the unheralded Hocker surged home for gold ahead of Kerr, Nuguse taking bronze ahead of Ingebrigtsen.
Meanwhile, Ireland’s Nick Griggs finished seventh in the men’s 3000m race, the 19-year-old clocked a time of 7:43.44. Kenya’s Jacob Krop won the race in a time of 7:34.80.
Elsewhere Armand Duplantis admitted to feeling “wrecked” after an exhibition 100m race, while Sha’Carri Richardson and Letsile Tebogo steamed to sprint victories.
So much is now expected when Duplantis takes to the runway of the pole vault, but it was for him a relatively disappointing competition in cold and rainy conditions, albeit a victory.
The Swede won with a best clearance of 5.82m on countback from American Sam Kendricks.
“Mentally, I felt good today, but my body felt wrecked after yesterday’s race,” he said in reference to the 100m showdown with 400m hurdles world record holder Karsten Warholm.
Duplantis won the sprint in a “very impressive” 10.37sec to Warholm’s 10.47.
“For both of us it was a great experience,” said Duplantis. “It was super amazing. I think we built a super event, it was very new and innovative.”
While Duplantis at least picked up another win, Warholm was an absentee after pinging his hamstring after his sprint endeavours.
But as the loser, Warholm was deigned to wear one of the Swede’s national tops in action on Thursday.
While not competing, Warholm duly made an appearance on the track dressed in Duplantis’ kit, but said it was “terrible. I need to take a really good shower after this!”
The Norwegian added: “I would prefer to race rather than do the walk of shame. But I felt something in my hamstring. I tried to warm up but I made the decision not to run.
“I hope my good friend Mondo will let me get away with this. I hope not to do this ever again!” he said, passionately kissing a Norway flag thrown from organisers, to rapturous applause from the crowd.
Roshawn Clarke of Jamaica, in 47.49sec, won the 400m hurdles in his absence.
- Alfred outstripped -
World champion Richardson went some way to avenging her Olympic defeat by Julien Alfred by reversing the tables in the 100m.
Richardson headed into the final 20 metres in third behind Saint Lucia’s Olympic champion Julien Alfred and Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith.
But the American stayed strong and focused on the line, producing a savage dip for first place in 10.84 seconds, 0.04sec ahead of Alfred.
“I am training and executing because I know the race is not going to take care of itself,” said Richardson.
Botswana’s Olympic champion Tebogo also left it late for his victory in the men’s 200m.
The 21-year-old edged Olympic silver medallist Kenny Bednarek by 0.02sec as he won in 19.55sec.
“I always dig deep for the races and for everything, so, for me it means a lot,” said Tebogo.
