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Tokyo, Japan – In a 1500m final that proved slower and more tactical than the last two editions, Portugal’s Nader produced a perfectly timed sprint finish to claim gold at the World Athletics Championships, edging Britain’s Jake Wightman by just two-hundredths of a second.
The 14-man field featured three former world champions — Josh Kerr, Jake Wightman, and Kenya’s Timothy Cheruiyot — but also notable absentees. Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen missed out due to injury, while reigning Olympic champion Cole Hocker was disqualified in the semi-final after barging through competitors.
Defending champion Kerr, who had promised “a real battle,” was visibly struggling a lap and a half from the finish. Opting not to set the pace, the Scot soon grimaced and limped through the final stages, crossing the line more than 30 seconds behind the rest of the pack.
Wightman, returning from a two-year injury setback, looked on course for a second world title after powering ahead on the final bend. But Nader, already a Diamond League winner in Oslo this season, surged in the final metres to snatch victory in 3:34.10 — five seconds slower than recent championship-winning times.
The shock result left rising Dutch star Niels Laros unable to replicate his trademark kick, finishing fifth. Kenya’s Reynold Cheruiyot took bronze, narrowly ahead of namesake Timothy, the 2019 world champion.
For Wightman, there was a bittersweet symmetry: just as in Oregon, his father Geoff, commentating from the stands, called his son’s silver-medal run.
The outcome marked one of the surprises of the Tokyo championships, with Nader’s resilience and composure upstaging both established champions and emerging talents.