Portugal’s Isaac Nader pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, sprinting past Britain’s Jake Wightman to win the men’s 1500m title on Wednesday (17).
Nader produced a blistering kick in the final 50 metres, moving from fifth place to first and edging Wightman by just two-hundredths of a second. The Portuguese star clocked 3:34.10, denying the 2022 world champion a second title as the packed Olympic Stadium roared.
Full Results – Men’s 1500m Final (Tokyo 2025):
- Isaac NADER (POR) – 3:34.10
- Jake WIGHTMAN (GBR) – 3:34.12
- Reynold CHERUIYOT (KEN) – 3:34.25
- Timothy CHERUIYOT (KEN) – 3:34.50
- Niels LAROS (NED) – 3:34.52
- Robert FARKEN (GER) – 3:35.15
- Federico RIVA (ITA) – 3:35.33
- Adrián BEN (ESP) – 3:35.38
- Tshepo TSHITE (RSA) – 3:35.50
- Neil GOURLEY (GBR) – 3:35.56
- Samuel PIHLSTRÖM (SWE) – 3:35.74
- Andrew COSCORAN (IRL) – 3:35.87
- Jonah KOECH (USA) – 3:37.00
- Josh KERR (GBR) – 4:11.23
The race, billed as one of the most open men’s 1500m finals in recent memory, lived up to expectations. Defending champion Josh Kerr limped out of contention after looking uncomfortable early on, while Kenya’s Timothy Cheruiyot tried to dictate the pace but faded in the closing stages.
Reynold Cheruiyot, the 20-year-old former world under-20 champion, secured bronze for Kenya in 3:34.25. Timothy, the 2019 world champion, had to settle for fourth place, while rising Dutch talent Niels Laros impressed with a strong fifth-place finish.
For Nader, who was eliminated in last year’s Paris Olympic semifinals, the Tokyo triumph marks a career-defining breakthrough. He becomes the first Portuguese athlete to win a world title in the men’s 1500m, adding his name to the history books in dramatic style.
Get real time update about this post category directly on your device, subscribe now.
