Athletics at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Women's 1500 metres

The women's 1500 metres event at the 2016 Summer Olympics took place between 12–16 August at the Olympic Stadium.[1]

Women's 1500 metres
at the Games of the XXXI Olympiad
Interior view of the Estádio Olímpico João Havelange, where the Women's 1500m took place.
VenueOlympic Stadium
Dates12 August 2016 (heats)
14 August 2016 (semifinals)
16 August 2016 (final)
Competitors42 from 25 nations
Winning time4:08.92
Medalists
1st place, gold medalist(s) Faith Kipyegon  Kenya
2nd place, silver medalist(s) Genzebe Dibaba  Ethiopia
3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Jennifer Simpson  United States
← 2012
2020 →
Video on YouTube Official Video Highlights

Summary

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Genzebe Dibaba, the world record holder and the 2015 World Champion had an injury affected outdoor season, though she was still the fourth fastest entrant. Faith Kipyegon, the 2015 World runner-up, was the form athlete before the Olympics, being unbeaten and owning the two fastest times for the season – a Kenyan record of 3:56.41 minutes. Laura Muir's British record placed her second on the seasonal rankings. Other top entrants included Ethiopians Dawit Seyaum and Besu Sado, Dutch athlete Sifan Hassan, and American former world medallists Jennifer Simpson, Brenda Martinez and Shannon Rowbury.[2] The 2012 Olympic champion Aslı Çakır Alptekin was absent due to a doping ban, as were five other finalists from 2012, a race ESPN "one of the dirtiest races in Olympic history."

There were no surprise eliminations in the first round. Dawit Seyaum won the fastest heat in 4:05.33 minutes, with Kipyegon and Genzebe Dibaba being the other heat winners.[3]

Many of these women were in the World Championship race and the world record run before it. They had a year to think about and prepare their way to beat Dibaba. The final started off in a walk for these athletes, the first lap in 1:16.57. Dibaba went almost to the back of the pack, with the last chaser in her previous major races, Sifan Hassan watching her back and only Laura Muir trailing. Shannon Rowbury was relegated to the unwanted leader duties until Laura Weightman moved forward near the end of the lap. After the slow first lap, even Muir tired of jogging at the back and moved forward, but not Dibaba and Hassan. By the steeplechase pit, 550 metres into the race, Dibaba ran a few quicker steps and moved to the outside, foretelling her move. Over the next 150 metres, Dibaba floated forward with ease, Hassan following. Over the next 100 metres, Dibaba cruised to the front, with each of the key figures in the race recognizing she had passed and scrambling to follow. With a lap and a half to go, Muir was tight on Dibaba's shoulder, followed by Faith Kipyegon, Besu Sado, Jennifer Simpson, Hassan and Rowbury. Dawit Seyaum came up from behind to join the mix of leaders but all were fighting not to let Dibaba get away. At the bell, Kipyegon had gotten around Muir and was right on Dibaba's back, a gap had separated between Muir and the next chaser, Hassan. The third lap was run in 56.80. Both Dibaba and Kipyegon appeared to be in full sprint, but Kipyegon stuck to Dibaba like glue down the backstretch. Then with just over 200 to go, Kipyegon accelerated around Dibaba. Dibaba had no answer. Kipyegon continued to extend her lead on to the finish line. Behind them was the battle for bronze. With 150 to go, Hassan caught Muir but Simpson was right on her back and Rowbury was gaining from behind. Coming off the turn, Simpson went into her sprint, which left Hassan behind. Rowbury also ran past Hassan and followed Simpson to the line. Dibaba tied up badly going in to the finish, with Simpson rapidly gaining, but the finish line arrived for Dibaba faster than a sprinting Simpson could get there.

Kipyegon ran her last 800 in 1:57.2, even faster than Dibaba ran her last 800 in Beijing.[4]

The following evening the medals were presented by Dagmawit Girmay Berhane, IOC member, Ethiopia and Nawal El Moutawakel, Council Member of the IAAF.

Records

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Prior to this competition, the existing world and Olympic records were as follows.

World record   Genzebe Dibaba (ETH) 3:50.07 Fontvieille, Monaco 17 July 2015
Olympic record   Paula Ivan (ROU) 3:53.96 Seoul, South Korea 26 September 1988
2016 World leading   Faith Chepngetich Kipyegon (KEN) 3:56.41 Eugene, United States 28 May 2016
Area
Time (s) Athlete Nation
Africa (records) 3:50.07 WR Genzebe Dibaba   Ethiopia
Asia (records) 3:50.46 Qu Yunxia   China
Europe (records) 3:52.47 Tatyana Kazankina   Soviet Union
North, Central America
and Caribbean
(records)
3:56.29 Shannon Rowbury   United States
Oceania (records) 4:00.93 Sarah Jamieson   Australia
South America (records) 4:05.67 Letitia Vriesde   Suriname

The following national record was established during the competition:

Country Athlete Round Time Notes
Nepal   Saraswati Bhattarai (NEP) Heats 4:33.94

Schedule

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All times are Brasilia Time (UTC-3)

Date Time Round
Friday, 12 August 2016 20:30 Heats
Sunday, 14 August 2016 21:30 Semifinals
Tuesday, 16 August 2016 22:30 Finals

Results

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Heats

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[5]

Qualification rule: first 6 in each heat (Q) and the next 6 fastest times (q) qualified.

Heat 1

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Rank Athlete Nation Time Notes
1 Genzebe Dibaba   Ethiopia 4:10.61 Q
2 Ciara Mageean   Ireland 4:11.51 Q
3 Brenda Martinez   United States 4:11.74 Q
4 Linden Hall   Australia 4:11.75 Q
5 Angelika Cichocka   Poland 4:11.76 Q
6 Konstanze Klosterhalfen   Germany 4:11.76 Q
7 Hilary Stellingwerff   Canada 4:12.00
8 Maureen Koster   Netherlands 4:13.15
9 Siham Hilali   Morocco 4:13.46
10 Amela Terzić   Serbia 4:15.17
11 Nancy Chepkwemoi   Kenya 4:15.41
12 Marta Pen   Portugal 4:18.53
13 Saraswati Bhattarai   Nepal 4:33.94 NR
14 Celma Bonfim da Graça   São Tomé and Príncipe 4:38.86

Heat 2

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Rank Athlete Nation Time Notes
1 Sifan Hassan   Netherlands 4:06.64 Q
2 Faith Chepngetich Kipyegon   Kenya 4:06.65 Q
3 Sofia Ennaoui   Poland 4:06.90 Q
4 Jennifer Simpson   United States 4:06.99 Q
5 Malika Akkaoui   Morocco 4:07.42 Q, SB
6 Besu Sado   Ethiopia 4:08.11 Q
7 Laura Weightman   Great Britain 4:08.37 q
8 Jenny Blundell   Australia 4:09.05 q
9 Gabriela Stafford   Canada 4:09.45
10 Muriel Coneo   Colombia 4:09.50
11 Tigist Gashaw   Bahrain 4:10.96
12 Florina Pierdevara   Romania 4:11.55 SB
13 Nikki Hamblin   New Zealand 4:11.88
14 Anjelina Nadai Lohalith   Refugee Olympic Team 4:47.38

Heat 3

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Rank Athlete Nation Time Notes
1 Dawit Seyaum   Ethiopia 4:05.33 Q
2 Shannon Rowbury   United States 4:06.47 Q
3 Laura Muir   Great Britain 4:06.53 Q
4 Rababe Arafi   Morocco 4:06.63 Q
5 Meraf Bahta   Sweden 4:06.82 Q
6 Zoe Buckman   Australia 4:06.93 Q
7 Nicole Sifuentes   Canada 4:07.43 q
8 Violah Cheptoo Lagat   Kenya 4:08.09 q
9 Danuta Urbanik   Poland 4:08.67 q
10 Diana Sujew   Germany 4:09.07 q
11 Margherita Magnani   Italy 4:09.74
12 Kadra Mohamed Dembil   Djibouti 4:42.67
13 Nelia Martins   East Timor 5:00.53
Betthem Desalegn   United Arab Emirates DNS

Semifinals

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Semifinals 1

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Rank Athlete Nation Time Notes
1 Faith Chepngetich Kipyegon   Kenya 4:03.95 Q
2 Dawit Seyaum   Ethiopia 4:04.23 Q
3 Shannon Rowbury   United States 4:04.46 Q, SB
4 Besu Sado   Ethiopia 4:05.19 Q
5 Laura Weightman   Great Britain 4:05.28 Q
6 Sofia Ennaoui   Poland 4:05.29 q
7 Rababe Arafi   Morocco 4:05.60 q
8 Linden Hall   Australia 4:05.81
9 Zoe Buckman   Australia 4:06.95
10 Konstanze Klosterhalfen   Germany 4:07.26
11 Ciara Mageean   Ireland 4:08.07
12 Brenda Martinez   United States 4:10.41

Semifinals 2

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Rank Athlete Nation Time Notes
1 Genzebe Dibaba   Ethiopia 4:03.06 Q
2 Sifan Hassan   Netherlands 4:03.62 Q
3 Laura Muir   Great Britain 4:04.16 Q
4 Jennifer Simpson   United States 4:05.07 Q
5 Meraf Bahta   Sweden 4:06.41 Q
6 Violah Cheptoo Lagat   Kenya 4:06.83
7 Nicole Sifuentes   Canada 4:08.53
8 Malika Akkaoui   Morocco 4:08.55
9 Diana Sujew   Germany 4:10.15
10 Danuta Urbanik   Poland 4:11.34
11 Jenny Blundell   Australia 4:13.25
12 Angelika Cichocka   Poland 4:17.83

Final

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Rank Athlete Nation Time Notes
  Faith Chepngetich Kipyegon   Kenya 4:08.92
  Genzebe Dibaba   Ethiopia 4:10.27
  Jennifer Simpson   United States 4:10.53
4 Shannon Rowbury   United States 4:11.05
5 Sifan Hassan   Netherlands 4:11.23
6 Meraf Bahta   Sweden 4:12.59
7 Laura Muir   Great Britain 4:12.88
8 Dawit Seyaum   Ethiopia 4:13.14
9 Besu Sado   Ethiopia 4:13.58
10 Sofia Ennaoui   Poland 4:14.72
11 Laura Weightman   Great Britain 4:14.95
12 Rababe Arafi   Morocco 4:15.16

References

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  1. ^ "Women's 1500m". Rio 2016 Organisation. Archived from the original on 14 August 2016. Retrieved 3 August 2016.
  2. ^ Mulkeen, Jon (2016-08-09). Preview: women's 1500m – Rio 2016 Olympic Games. IAAF. Retrieved on 2016-08-12.
  3. ^ Mulkeen, Jon (2016-08-13). Report: women's 1500m heats – Rio 2016 Olympic Games. IAAF. Retrieved on 2016-08-13.
  4. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 September 2016. Retrieved 17 August 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. ^ "Women's 1500m: Heats". IAAF. Retrieved 10 August 2016.