World Athletics Championships 2025: Kenyan Duo Advance to 1500m Semifinals as Phanuel Koech, Jakob Ingebrigtsen Crash Out

Kenya's representatives in the 1,500 metres at the 2025 World Athletics Championships, the duo of Reynold Cheruiyot and Timothy Cheruiyot, qualified for the semifinals of the event after relatively comfortable performances in their heats on Sunday morning at the Japan National Stadium in Tokyo.

Their compatriot, Phanuel Koech, was pushed over on the final lap of his race and finished 12th in the fourth heat.

The Kenyan contingent will be requesting an appeal from the incident, which most observers felt robbed the youngster of a fair chance to qualify for the Championship on his debut.

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Reynold Cheruiyot, who ran in Heat 2, remained in the front pack throughout the race, avoiding the usual jostling that can wreak havoc in opening-round races.

The 21-year-old clocked 3:41.17 for fourth in well within the automatic qualifying standards.

2019 world champion Timothy Cheruiyot also looked in charge in Heat 3, where he finished fourth in 3:42.20.

No joyful welcome for Jakob Ingebrigtsen back to Tokyo's Japan National Stadium as he ran in the final of four heats.

The Norwegian, who had his outdoor season delayed a year due to injuries, dropped off in the final stretch and came in eighth with 3:37.84 to miss the semifinal spot.

His time was stolen by Britain's Jake Wightman, the 2022 world champion, who was razor-sharp in 3:36.90.

Also swept out of that heat was Kenya's Phanuel Koech, world under-20 record holder (pending ratification).

Koech had been running well until he was knocked over on the last lap in a thrilling turn of events when he lost all sense of rhythm.

He came 12th, obviously angry. The tape was subsequently investigated by race officials but they called it a racing incident, so Koech will not be proceeding.

Athletics Kenya authorities had stated that they would appeal the decision, asking to have him reinstated for obstruction.

Elsewhere, there was also drama in the first heat as France's double Diamond League winner Azeddine Habz was robbed of qualification by a whisker eight-hundredths of a second, having performed well.

Fastest overall qualifier was Norway's Narve Gilje Nordås, who won Heat 1 in 3:35.90. Closebehind was Britain's Josh Kerr, the reigning world champion, who clocked 3:35.98, showing he is in his best form. Olympic champion Cole Hocker also qualified easily, winning Heat 3 in 3:41.88.

With two Kenyans qualified safely, the nation's hopes now rest on good runs in the semifinals as they chase a place in the 1,500m final.

Fans will be particularly keen to see whether Timothy Cheruiyot is able to regain the Olympic crown he dropped in Tokyo three years ago.

Reynold Cheruiyot, by contrast, will be looking to establish himself as a potential member of the new generation of Kenyan middle-distance stars.

The semifinals appear set to be a battle royale with some of the sport's biggest names — Kerr, Wightman, and Nordås included — still yet to go.

Kenyan fans will be hoping that the red, green, and black flag flies high in the end as the nation retains its historical tradition in the 1,500 metres