Kipyegon keeps the Faith to claim historic hat-trick

BUDAPEST, Hungary — Faith Kipyegon's race strategy isn't all that complicated. What works is that she's among the few who can execute it.

"Get to the front and go faster," the Kenyan runner explained.

Her pace, the one that she's used to set three different world records at three different distances this season, also brought her a second straight 1,500-meter title, and an unprecedented third in total, on a muggy Tuesday night at the world championships.

Popping out quickly to the lead, then daring the other 11 runners to reel her in, the 29-year-old's tactics are not for the faint of heart.

More often than not in these races, early leaders fade. Not this one. Kipyegon finished in a time of 3 minutes, 54.87 seconds to beat Diribe Welteji of Ethiopia by almost a second. Sifan Hassan, running from back in the pack, as is her custom, surged into third place.

"I told myself, 'You are the strongest and just keep going,'" Kipyegon said.

Whether it's winning races or setting records, Kipyegon has been in quite a zone this summer. Over a 50-day span, she set world marks in the 1,500m, 5,000m and the mile.

In Budapest, Kipyegon says, it's all about medals, not records.

No time for rest, though. Kipyegon was due to be back on the track on Wednesday evening for the start of the 5,000. She got a bit of a reprieve when officials decided to move the event to the night session due to excessive heat forecast for Wednesday morning.

The Dutch runner Hassan will be in the field, too, and running her third event at the worlds, much as she did at the Olympics two years ago where she won two golds and a bronze.

It's a decision she's starting to lament.

"Before I decided to run these three events, I did not look at how fast the girls are this year," said Hassan, who regrouped for a medal Tuesday after a fall near the finish in the 10,000 over the weekend cost her a chance at one.

"When I looked at the start list for my heat, I was wondering why I put myself in this position. I would never have imagined that I would win a medal."

Morocco's Soufiane El Bakkali rose to the occasion once again at a big meet in defending his steeplechase world title, adding to his gold from the Tokyo Games.

For Lamecha Girma, the world-record holder in steeplechase, it's yet another silver medal. He has finished runner-up three times at worlds and once at the Olympics.

"I still aim to win gold at the world championships or Olympic Games," Girma said. "Nothing has changed in my goals. Maybe, I become even more motivated for next year."

Italian high jumper Gianmarco Tamberi earned a gold medal he won't have to share. He edged American JuVaughn Harrison courtesy of clearing 2.36m on his first attempt while Harrison needed two.

At the Tokyo Games, Tamberi and good friend Mutaz Essa Barshim finished tied for first and they agreed to share the gold. Tamberi jumped up and down in elation.

This time, Barshim took bronze. And the Italian started a party that could go on for a while.

"I need to celebrate this medal," said Tamberi, who shaves one half of his face and leaves the other half with stubble. "Because after one year of sacrifices and diet, I deserve it."

Barshim missed out on a fourth crown, he became the first man to win five medals in the event.

Barshim tried to rouse the crowd at the National Athletics Centre as he went for his third and final attempt at 2.36m as the women's 1,500m final reached its final stages.

But just as the women's race was a little flat due to Kipyegon's brilliance so Barshim's challenge for a fourth successive world crown ended as a damp squib, the Qatari bowing out at 2.33m to take bronze. Victory instead went to the man with whom he shared Olympic gold in Tokyo, Italy's Tamberi.

"I consider this bronze as history," Barshim said. "In any competition, our ambition is gold and victory, but this is sport.

"With this bronze, I became the only athlete in the history of the high jump to win five medals in the world championships and I am very proud."

It was a tough night for former world champions Dalilah Muhammad (400m hurdles) and Steven Gardiner (400m). Muhammad, struggling with injuries this season, couldn't advance out of the semifinals, while Gardiner collapsed to the track rounding the final bend and grabbed his leg.

For Muhammad, it was a rare early exit. The runner-up at last summer's worlds and at the Tokyo Games, said she had struggled with Achilles issues.

"It hasn't really hit me yet that I won't make the final, but it was all a bit of a Hail Mary to be honest," the 33-year-old said.

Dutch hurdler Femke Bol has regrouped from her fall a few meters before the finish line in the mixed 4x400m relay. She showed precisely why she's the favorite in the 400 hurdles, powering her way past the field to win her semifinal heat.

It's a gold medal up for grabs in the absence of world-record holder Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, who skipped the competition to focus on the 400 and later withdrew due to a knee issue.

Agencies