These are the official results of the
Men's 1500 metres event at the
2003 IAAF World Championships in
Paris,
France. There were a total number of 29 participating athletes, with three qualifying heats, two semi-finals and the final held on Wednesday 27 August 2003 at 21:00h.
With all eyes on the world record holder
Hicham El Guerrouj, the final started with home team favorite
Mehdi Baala taking the lead off the line though he was
Reyes Estévez uncharacteristically took the lead and began pushing the pace a half lap into the race. As soon as Estévez began to create some daylight, El Guerrouj covered the move through a 57.70 first lap, but after letting Estévez lead a whole lap El Guerrouj edged ahead. It was 1:56.29 (58.59) after 2 laps with Baala the first to follow El Guerrouj, with
Paul Korir
Paul Kipketer Korir (born July 15, 1977, in Kipkoror, near Lessos, Nandi District in the Rift Valley Province) is a middle distance athlete from Kenya.
Biography
He graduated from Kilibwoni High School in Nandi District in 1996. He has started ...
and Estévez in such close order drill that Korir stumbled from catching Estévez' legs and losing ground. At the bell in 2:37.87,
Fouad Chouki
Fouad Chouki (born 15 October 1978 in Strasbourg) is a French middle distance runner who specializes in the 1500 metres.
He won a bronze medal at the 2001 Mediterranean Games in Tunis and finished fourth at the 2002 European Championships in Muni ...
joined what was becoming a breakaway by El Guerrouj, Baala and Estévez. 2:51.28 (54.99) after 3 laps and El Guerrouj accelerated. In the final turn, Chouki accelerated past Estévez, but only Baala had managed to stay close to El Guerrouj. Bala was in perfect position to run around El Guerrouj coming off the turn, instead El Guerrouj accelerated again and got enough of a gap that it was clear he was going to win. Coming off the turn
Ivan Heshko was in sixth place. He moved out to lane 3 and began sprinting, challenged by Korir. 50 meters from the finish, Chouki began to run out of gas. Estévez passed him but his hold on the bronze medal position was short-lived as Heshko, Korir and
Rui Silva all ran past him before the line. A month after the race, Chouki was disqualified and suspended for having
Erythropoietin
Erythropoietin (; EPO), also known as erythropoetin, haematopoietin, or haemopoietin, is a glycoprotein cytokine secreted mainly by the kidneys in response to cellular hypoxia; it stimulates red blood cell production (erythropoiesis) in the bo ...
in his system.
Final
Semi-Final
*Held on Monday 25 August 2003
Heats
Held on Saturday 23 August 2003
See also
*
Athletics at the 2003 Pan American Games - Men's 1500 metres
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:2003 World Championships In Athletics - Men's 1500 Metres
Events at the 2003 World Championships in Athletics, H
1500 metres at the World Athletics Championships