It was a fast and exciting final that left the top three under 3:30, and in which Spain confirmed that it is still a power of 1,500, the queen test of the middle distance. shined big Mohamed Katir who finally achieved that international medal that he was chasing so much, a world bronze that tastes like gold. The 24-year-old from Muleño showed his face and gritted his teeth to reach the final stretch with options. There he only gave in to the British Jake Wightmansurprising champion, and the Norwegian Jakob Ingebrigtsen, again defeated in a final. Behind, at the gates of the podium, stood mario garcia romo, who debuted in a big championship in a big way, finishing ahead of Josh Kerr and Timothy Cheruiyot, Olympic medalists in Tokyo. The first five positions were taken by European athletes. Ignacio Fontesthe third of the Spaniards, finished eleventh.
A very fast race was expected and so it was. The person in charge of launching it was the Kenyan Abel Kipsang, who put the platoon in a row one by one from the initial gunshot. Katir, cautious, stayed at the back of the group, initially shadowing Ingebrigtsen. But when the Norwegian decided to go forward, given that there would not be much room to recover, the Murcian preferred to wait. They were moments of doubt, of not knowing if the Spaniard was ready for the fight or not. Whether you would see the version of him from the semi-final, forceful, or the one he showed in the series with which he debuted in Eugene, where he passed by the hair.
The first 400 was crossed at 55.51, still with Katir at the bottom. Only when he saw that Ingebrigtsen took lane two to climb to the lead did the Muleño begin to gain positions.
Passing through the 800, the race continued at full speed, already with Ingebrigtsen in the lead. By then Katir was already up to García Romo, clearing doubts, both well placed for the final rush. Also taking up positions was Wightman, placed just behind Ingebrigtsen and the Kenyan duo, who were making a barrier as they annoyed each other.
The resolution came on the finish line. Kipsang and Cheruiyot sank, while Katir and García Romo continued to push forward, also beating the English second, Josh Kerr. His climb did not give for more because Wightman finished in an imperial way, with a 3: 29.23 that allowed him to beat Ingebrigtsen in the sprint by 24 hundredths.
At the end, Katir wrapped himself in the Spanish flag and lay down on the tartan to cry like a man unstitched. The Murcian, born in the Moroccan city of Alcazarquivir and moved to Spain as a child, has had enough of denouncing in recent months how long his nationalization took, a process that began in 2015 and culminated four years later. In all that time he always wanted to compete with Spain.
“I am very happy to get a medal. Very proud. I hope that I have enjoyed my country, my people and my family. It’s only the beginning. Now the European is coming and I hope to bring another medal », he said later in the mixed zone, already with the medal around his neck.
Katir, world bronze
Three moments from the final of Katir, in the race, with the bronze medal and in solitude on the track
Katir’s is the sixth Spanish medal in the 1,500 after those achieved by Jose Luis Gonzalez, Fermin Cacho (2) y Reyes Estevez (two). And it is also the second bronze achieved by the Spanish delegation in Oregon after the one celebrated by Asier Martínez in the 110 hurdles.
For the Murcian it is his confirmation as the great hope of the Spanish midfielder. After breaking the national records of 1,500, 3,000 and 5,000 last year, that of his stellar appearance, 2022 also confirms him as a candidate for medals in the major championships.
night of surprises
There were also surprises in the other two grand finals of the day. In the women’s high jump, the Australian won Eleanor Patterson ahead of the Ukrainian Yaroslava Mahuchikh. Both jumped over 2.02, but the oceanic one did it the first time. The bronze went to the Italian Elena Vallortigara.
And in the men’s 400 hurdles the Brazilian triumphed Alison Dos Santos with a stratospheric mark: 46.29, third best mark in history. With that record he surpassed the Americans Rai Benjamin and Trevor Bassitt. The depressing day for Norway, which expected two golds, was completed by the favorite Karsten Warholm, who sank in the last 100, far from his best form, to finish seventh.
The semifinals of the 200 meters were also played, both for women and men. In the latter came the surprise with the elimination of Fred Kerley, world champion of the 100, who came sixth after sinking in the final stretch with some kind of physical problem. The gold will have to be played by two of his compatriots: Noah Lyles, who made an impact in his semifinal with 19.62, and the teenager Erriyon Knighton, who stayed at 19.77. There could still be an American triplet, because the third in discord was Kenneth Bednarek (19.84).
In girls, dominance of Shericka Jackson, with a super mark of 21.67. The Jamaican treble will be much more competitive than in the 100, because Elaine Thompson showed again that she is not in her best shape. Not so Shelly-Ann Fraser, champion of the 100, who went to the final with the second best time (21.82). The American Tamara Clark, the British Dina Asher-Smith and the Nigerian Aminatou Seyni also compete for a medal.
