Kenya's Faith Kipyegon produced a startling last-lap sprint to win the Olympic women's 1500m gold to leave Ethiopia's world record holder Genzebe Dibaba trailing in her wakeTuesday.  Kipyegon, fastest in the world this year, sat in the pack as the runners virtually jogged the opening stages before she and Dibaba took off and pulled clear after a 56.8-second lap around the halfway mark scattered the field.

 

Kipyegon clocked 4min 08.92sec after her burst over the last 250 metres, world record holder Dibaba taking silver in 4:10.27.

American Jennifer Simpson claimed bronze in 4:10.53.

 

 

"I knew it would be a fast race, I really had to kick on the last lap," said Kipyegon.

"I was well prepared for the race. I'm proud to win for my country."

 

 

"It's just amazing, I'm very happy because it's my first medal in the Olympics. "It was an amazing race," Kipyegon told reporters. "I needed to focus for the middle because I knew Genzebe is so fast and I really had to kick on the last lap." "It was a good race, a tactical race."  Dibaba broke the world indoor mile record and won the world indoor 3000m title at the start of the year, but had to delay the start to her outdoor campaign with a toe injury.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Africa Team