Jake Wightman stuns the world with upset in men’s 1,500m final

Day Five of Athletics at the World Championships was one to remember as Great Britain’s Jake Wightman won his first world championship in the men’s 1,500m, upsetting the Olympic gold medallist, Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen. Wightman’s father, Geoff, was on the stadium commentary, and managed to keep his composure as he watched his son become the new world champion.

The race went out fast, with Australia’s Stewart McSweyn and Kenya’s Abel Kipsang taking the pack through 400m in 55 seconds. Wightman sat in the pack early on, and was in fifth with 300m to go. He found a small gap along the outside of Ingebrigtsen and made his move. Wightman stormed down the home straight, crossing the line in a personal best time of 3:29.23.

“That’s my son, and I coach him, and he’s your new world champion,” cried Geoff. “Running, it’s coming home.”

Jake Wightman – couldn't happen to a nicer guy. Astonishing run.

And his dad @WightmanGeoff somehow manages to hold it together with a brilliant commentary call in the stadium.

"That's my son," he finally says. "And he's the World champion."#WorldAthleticsChamps

— Cathal Dennehy (@Cathal_Dennehy) July 20, 2022

Although Wightman came into the race as the British 1,500m champion, all eyes were on his Olympic bronze medal-winning teammate Josh Kerr. Wightman was an unlikely candidate to pull off the win in a star-studded 1,500m field. This was only the second time a British man has taken the world or Olympic 1,500m title (the first was Sebastian Coe at the 1984 Olympics).

Ingebrigtsen took the silver medal in a season’s best 3:29.47, while Mohamed Katir of Spain landed on his first world championship podium for third in 3:29.90. Katir broke down in tears once he realized that he won his first world championship medal. Ingebrigtsen seemed to be upset with his race, taking off the silver immediately after the medal ceremony.

The 21-year-old from Norway will be back in action in the heats of the men’s 5,000m on Thursday evening.

Karsten Warholm fades as Alison Dos Santos wins the 400mH in a championship record

The upset in the men’s 1,500m wasn’t the only of the evening here at Hayward Field. In the men’s 400mH final, Alison Dos Santos of Brazil was crowned the new world champion in a championship record time of 46.29 seconds.

Dos Santos, the Olympic bronze medallist, had the fastest time in the world heading into the race, but did not face Norway’s Karsten Warholm or Rai Benjamin of the U.S. all season. Warholm seemed to lead the race for the first 200m, but ultimately faded to seventh place over the final 100m.

These World Championships were Warholm’s first 400mH race back since pulling his hamstring at the Rabat Diamond League in the spring. Benjamin won his second straight world championship silver medal, while Trevor Bassitt, the 2022 NCAA champion, surprised the hometown crowd to win the bronze in a personal best time of 47.29 seconds.

The 2022 World Athletics Championships are taking place from July 15-25 from Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore. All the action will be brought to you by Canadian Running and Asics Canada. Follow us on Twitter on Instagram for all things Team Canada and up-to-date exclusive news and content.