The women's 1500 metres event at the
2016 Summer Olympics took place between 12–16 August at the
Olympic Stadium
''Olympic Stadium'' is the name usually given to the main stadium of an Olympic Games. An Olympic stadium is the site of the opening and closing ceremonies. Many, though not all, of these venues actually contain the words ''Olympic Stadium'' as ...
.
Summary
Genzebe Dibaba
Genzebe Dibaba Keneni ( Oromo: ''Ganzabee Dibaabaa Qananii''; Amharic: ገንዘቤ ዲባባ ቀነኒ; born 8 February 1991) is an Ethiopian middle- and long-distance runner. A 1500 metres 2016 Rio Olympics silver medalist, she won a gold med ...
, the world record holder and the
2015 World Champion had an injury affected outdoor season, though she was still the fourth fastest entrant.
Faith Kipyegon
Faith Chepngetich Kipyegon (born 10 January 1994) is a Kenyan middle-distance runner specializing in the 1500 metres. A 2016 Rio Olympic and 2020 Tokyo Olympic champion with the Games record at the latter, she is the second woman in history t ...
, the 2015 World runner-up, was the form athlete before the Olympics, being unbeaten and owning the two fastest times for the season – a
Kenyan record of 3:56.41 minutes.
Laura Muir
Laura Muir (born 9 May 1993) is a Scottish middle- and long-distance runner. She is the 2020 Tokyo Olympic silver medallist in the 1500 metres, having previously finished seventh in the event at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Muir won the bronze meda ...
's
British record placed her second on the seasonal rankings. Other top entrants included Ethiopians
Dawit Seyaum
Dawit Seyaum Biratu (born 27 July 1996) is an Ethiopian middle- and long-distance runner who specialises in the 1500 metres. She placed fourth at the 2015 World Championships and won the silver medal at the 2016 World Indoor Championships. Da ...
and
Besu Sado
Besu Sado Beko (born 12 January 1996) is an Ethiopian athlete competing in middle-distance events. She represented her country at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing reaching the semifinals. In addition, she won the silver medal at the 2015 ...
, Dutch athlete
Sifan Hassan
Sifan Hassan ( om, Siifan Hassan; born 1 January 1993) is an Ethiopian-born Dutch middle- and long-distance runner. She completed an unprecedented triple at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics winning gold medals in both the 5000 metres and 10,000 metres, ...
, and American former world medallists
Jennifer Simpson
Jennifer Simpson (née Barringer; born August 23, 1986) is an American middle distance runner and steeplechaser. She represented the United States at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, 2012 London Olympics and 2016 Rio Olympics. She is a former American ...
,
Brenda Martinez and
Shannon Rowbury
Shannon Rowbury (born September 19, 1984) is an American middle-distance runner from San Francisco, California. After competing collegiately for Duke University, she turned professional in 2007. Rowbury has represented the United States at the ...
. The 2012 Olympic champion
Aslı Çakır Alptekin
Aslı Çakır Alptekin (born 20 August 1985 in Antalya) is a former Turkish female middle-distance runner. A member of the Üsküdar Belediyespor in Istanbul, she is coached by her husband, runner Ihsan Alptekin. She was banned for life for r ...
was absent due to a doping ban, as were five other finalists from
2012
File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gat ...
, a race
ESPN
ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). Th ...
"one of the dirtiest races in Olympic history."
There were no surprise eliminations in the first round. Dawit Seyaum won the fastest heat in 4:05.33 minutes, with Kipyegon and Genzebe Dibaba being the other heat winners.
Many of these women were in the World Championship race and the world record run before it. They had a year to think about and prepare their way to beat Dibaba. The final started off in a walk for these athletes, the first lap in 1:16.57. Dibaba went almost to the back of the pack, with the last chaser in her previous major races,
Sifan Hassan
Sifan Hassan ( om, Siifan Hassan; born 1 January 1993) is an Ethiopian-born Dutch middle- and long-distance runner. She completed an unprecedented triple at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics winning gold medals in both the 5000 metres and 10,000 metres, ...
watching her back and only
Laura Muir
Laura Muir (born 9 May 1993) is a Scottish middle- and long-distance runner. She is the 2020 Tokyo Olympic silver medallist in the 1500 metres, having previously finished seventh in the event at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Muir won the bronze meda ...
trailing.
Shannon Rowbury
Shannon Rowbury (born September 19, 1984) is an American middle-distance runner from San Francisco, California. After competing collegiately for Duke University, she turned professional in 2007. Rowbury has represented the United States at the ...
was relegated to the unwanted leader duties until
Laura Weightman
Laura Weightman (born 1 July 1991) is a British Middle-distance running, middle-distance runner who competes in the 1500 metres and 5000 metres. She reached the 1500 metres final at the Athletics at the 2012 Summer Olympics, 2012 London Olympic ...
moved forward near the end of the lap. After the slow first lap, even Muir tired of jogging at the back and moved forward, but not Dibaba and Hassan. By the steeplechase pit, 550 metres into the race, Dibaba ran a few quicker steps and moved to the outside, foretelling her move. Over the next 150 metres, Dibaba floated forward with ease, Hassan following. Over the next 100 metres, Dibaba cruised to the front, with each of the key figures in the race recognizing she had passed and scrambling to follow. With a lap and a half to go, Muir was tight on Dibaba's shoulder, followed by
Faith Kipyegon
Faith Chepngetich Kipyegon (born 10 January 1994) is a Kenyan middle-distance runner specializing in the 1500 metres. A 2016 Rio Olympic and 2020 Tokyo Olympic champion with the Games record at the latter, she is the second woman in history t ...
,
Besu Sado
Besu Sado Beko (born 12 January 1996) is an Ethiopian athlete competing in middle-distance events. She represented her country at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing reaching the semifinals. In addition, she won the silver medal at the 2015 ...
,
Jennifer Simpson
Jennifer Simpson (née Barringer; born August 23, 1986) is an American middle distance runner and steeplechaser. She represented the United States at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, 2012 London Olympics and 2016 Rio Olympics. She is a former American ...
, Hassan and Rowbury.
Dawit Seyaum
Dawit Seyaum Biratu (born 27 July 1996) is an Ethiopian middle- and long-distance runner who specialises in the 1500 metres. She placed fourth at the 2015 World Championships and won the silver medal at the 2016 World Indoor Championships. Da ...
came up from behind to join the mix of leaders but all were fighting not to let Dibaba get away. At the bell, Kipyegon had gotten around Muir and was right on Dibaba's back, a gap had separated between Muir and the next chaser, Hassan. The third lap was run in 56.80. Both Dibaba and Kipyegon appeared to be in full sprint, but Kipyegon stuck to Dibaba like glue down the backstretch. Then with just over 200 to go, Kipyegon accelerated around Dibaba. Dibaba had no answer. Kipyegon continued to extend her lead on to the finish line. Behind them was the battle for bronze. With 150 to go, Hassan caught Muir but Simpson was right on her back and Rowbury was gaining from behind. Coming off the turn, Simpson went into her sprint, which left Hassan behind. Rowbury also ran past Hassan and followed Simpson to the line. Dibaba tied up badly going in to the finish, with Simpson rapidly gaining, but the finish line arrived for Dibaba faster than a sprinting Simpson could get there.
Kipyegon ran her last 800 in 1:57.2, even faster than Dibaba ran her last 800
in Beijing.
The following evening the medals were presented by
Dagmawit Girmay Berhane,
IOC
The International Olympic Committee (IOC; french: link=no, Comité international olympique, ''CIO'') is a non-governmental sports organisation based in Lausanne, Switzerland. It is constituted in the form of an association under the Swiss ...
member
Member may refer to:
* Military jury, referred to as "Members" in military jargon
* Element (mathematics), an object that belongs to a mathematical set
* In object-oriented programming, a member of a class
** Field (computer science), entries in ...
, Ethiopia and
Nawal El Moutawakel
Nawal El Moutawakel (Amazigh: ⵏⴰⵡⴰⵍ ⵍⵎⵓⵜⴰⵡⴰⵇⵇⵉⵍ ; ar, نوال المتوكل; born 15 April 1962) is a Moroccan former hurdler, who won the inaugural women's 400 metres hurdles event at the 1984 Summer Olympics, ...
, Council Member of the
IAAF.
Records
Prior to this competition, the existing world and Olympic records were as follows.
The following national record was established during the competition:
Schedule
All times are Brasilia Time
Time in Brazil is calculated using standard time, and the country (including its offshore islands) is divided into four standard time zones: UTC−02:00, UTC−03:00, UTC−04:00 and UTC−05:00.
Time zones
Fernando de Noronha time (UTC−02 ...
( UTC-3)
Results
Heats
Qualification rule: first 6 in each heat (Q) and the next 6 fastest times (q) qualified.
Heat 1
Heat 2
Heat 3
Semifinals
Semifinals 1
Semifinals 2
Final
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Athletics at the 2016 Summer Olympics - women's 1500 metres
women's 1500 metres
2016
File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the Impeachment of Dilma Rousseff, impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses duri ...
2016 in women's athletics
Women's events at the 2016 Summer Olympics