The men’s 1,500 metres final in Tokyo features Irish interest for only the third time in World Championships history. Among the race’s many eager observers will be seven of the top-nine finishers from last year’s Olympic final in Paris.
That so many star performers will sit this one out is a measure of Andrew Coscoran’s achievement in getting this far. The event has never been more competitive and follows the Olympics last year, when Coscoran’s hopes fell so disappointingly flat.
At age 29, Coscoran knew time was running out to make his first outdoor global final. After his Parisian discontent – finishing last in the heat and third-last in the repechage round – the Dubliner shook things up over the winter. He moved to the Manchester-based New Balance group under coach Helen Clitheroe.
There were ample signs the new approach was paying off when Coscoran improved the Irish indoor mile record to 3:49.26 and finished sixth in the World Indoor 3,000m final. He then earned $50,000 (€42,100) as the overall runner-up in the men’s long-distance events at the Grand Slam Track meeting in Miami in May – although he is yet to see any of that money.
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Still, there was something bullish about the way he won through to Wednesday’s final showdown (2.20pm Irish time). With the last three World 1,500m champions to contend with, and only the top six qualifying from each of the two semi-finals, Coscoran refused to concede an inch, nailing fifth place. The top seven finishers were separated by only .22 of a second.
“I’ve been trying to make a world final for about five years now,” he said afterwards. “I’ve put a lot of work in and made some mistakes along the way trying to make it, but everything clicked today. I’m absolutely chuffed.
“I felt like I was moving well the last three years or so. And the last two years, I got sick at the worst possible time, picked up chest infections. This time around, I came in healthy. It’s new territory for me, but I’ll go in there and give it socks.”
With the pressure of making that final lifted, so too comes fresh opportunity. Those last three world champions also came through his semi-final – defending champion Josh Kerr in second, British teammate and 2022 champion Jake Wightman in third, and Kenya’s 2019 champion Timothy Cheruiyot fourth, one place ahead of Coscoran.
The assumption, however, is that 2025 will produce a new champion in Niels Laros. The rising Dutch star, aged 20, has won three Diamond League races this summer and has a finishing kick that is fast proving unbeatable.
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It’s likely to be a very different race from last year’s Olympic final. On that occasion, Jakob Ingebrigtsen towed the field through 400m in 54.8 seconds, then 800m in 1:51.53, before being beaten into fourth place. Cole Hocker from the US won in an Olympic record of 3:27.65.
Ingebrigtsen came to Tokyo having not raced in six months because of injury and couldn’t get through his qualifying heat. Hocker, meanwhile, was disqualified for jostling in his semi-final. Olympic bronze medal winner Yared Nuguse is also among those top nine finishers from Paris absent here – he was unable to qualify from the US trials.
Norway’s Narve Gilje, fourth two years ago, also missed out, finishing seventh in Coscoran’s semi-final. Kerr’s cool head and experience make him the most likely to challenge Laros. However, it’s also set to be a far slower burn-up than Paris, which gives Coscoran every chance of getting himself in the mix, if he can stay in close contact over the last lap.
In winning the 3,000m at the Grand Slam in Miami, Coscoran ran his last 200m in 25.78 seconds, moving from fourth to first. With a repeat of that sort of turnover, anything would be possible. “It could be a more tactical affair and if it is, it plays into my hands”, he added. “I’m prepared for any kind of race.”
Back in 2011, Ciarán Ó Lionáird finished 10th in this final. Niall Bruton, the only other Irish finalist in 1995, finished 11th. Coscoran has declared his intention to double up in the 5,000m, but also knows perfectly well there’s no guarantee he’ll get another chance at a World Championship 1,500m final. With that sort of mindset, he must be one to watch.
