Portugal’s Isaac Nader produced one of the biggest surprises of the World Athletics Championships by clinching gold in the men’s 1500m final at the Japan National Stadium on Wednesday, outpacing seasoned champions and rising stars in a dramatic finish.
Unlikely champion emerges
Nader, 25, entered the race as an outsider despite consistent Diamond League performances, including a win in Oslo earlier this year. Against a stacked 14-man field that featured three former world champions, the Portuguese runner displayed composure and timed his final burst perfectly to snatch victory in 3:34.10.
Wightman falls just short
Great Britain’s Jake Wightman, the 2022 world champion making a comeback from long-term injuries, appeared set to reclaim the crown after taking the lead in the final bend. But Nader surged past in the final metres, edging him by just two-hundredths of a second. Wightman had to settle for silver, his second podium finish at the Worlds.
Bronze for Reynold Cheruiyot
Kenya’s Reynold Cheruiyot secured bronze, narrowly holding off his more decorated compatriot Timothy Cheruiyot, the 2019 world champion. The teenager Niels Laros, who had been tipped as a title contender, faded in the final straight and crossed in fifth.
Kerr limps out of contention
Defending champion Josh Kerr of Great Britain endured a nightmare race. The Scot, who had promised a fierce battle beforehand, began to struggle visibly with a lap and a half remaining, eventually hobbling across the line in last place, over half a minute behind the winner.
Nader on cloud nine
An emotional Nader dedicated his win to years of persistence. “I am speechless. Today I am a world champion, and that means everything. There is only one bigger title left — the Olympic gold,” he said after the race.
His triumph adds another twist to an event already rich with drama, reinforcing the 1500m’s reputation as one of track and field’s most unpredictable spectacles.
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