Tokyo Olympics 1500m men’s final: Aussies Stewart McSweyn and Ollie Hoare fail to medal
Aussie Stewart McSweyn went with the big guns early and paid the price, fading to finish midfield in the 1500m final when a medal at one stage looked a real possibility.
With one lap to go, Stewart McSweyn was exactly where he wanted to be in the men’s 1500m Olympic final.
He was third in a small breakaway group stalking the two gold medal favourites Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Timothy Cheruiyot with a possible medal just 400 metres away.
Unfortunately, his courageous tactics of putting everything on the line backfired with McSweyn fading to finish seventh.
It took guts to do it that way and the Australian champion had no regrets afterwards.
“I went in with big goals,” McSweyn said. “To finish seventh, I didn’t achieve the goal I was after but to run 3.31.91 in an Olympic final - I can’t be too disappointed.
“I put myself in the right spot (at the bell), unfortunately the legs just weren’t there, but the effort was there.
“Overall I’m happy with it, the guys were too good today. I’ll have to keep trying to get better for the next major championship.”
Ingebrigsten, who has been one of the finest 1500m runners on the planet since bursting onto the scene in 2018, showed his class with the 20-year-old Norwegian surging clear to win gold in a new Olympic record time of 3min28.32sec.
Cheruiyot, the reigning world champion, stuck on to take silver in 3min29.01sec with a shock bronze going to Great Britain’s Josh Kerr in a personal best 3:29.05sec.
McSweyn’s time of 3:31.91sec was more than two seconds outside his national record while fellow Aussie Oliver Hoare couldn’t back up his impressive semi-final run, fading badly to finish 11th (3:35.79sec).
In the women’s 10,000m Sifan Hassan bounced back from her slip-up in the 1500m to collect the 5000m-10000m double.
The Dutchwoman had been one of the stories of the games with her audacious attempt to win three gold medals but she will have to settle with two golds and a bronze.
Hassan sprinted away over the final lap to capture the Olympic title in 29min55.32sec from Bahrain’s Kalkidan Gezahegne (29:56.18sec) with world record holder Ethiopia’s Letesenbet Gidey taking bronze (29:55.32sec).
Cult hero helps Aussie star keep 1500m dream alive
Stewart McSweyn channelled some Peter Bol-like guts and determination to surge late and grab a place in the 1500m Olympic final.
In a stunning endorsement for the progression of Australian middle-distance running, there will be four athletes wearing the green and gold in the men’s and women’s 1500m finals.
Oliver Hoare showed his talent in the opening men’s semi-final, finishing fourth to get an automatic passage through to Saturday night’s final.
McSweyn kicked for home 600m out and at one stage had almost 10 metres on the rest of the field, but as they rounded the home turn the national record holder looked in trouble.
But like Bol had done the previous evening in the 800m final where he finished fourth, the King Island product lifted and kicked again over the final 50m to finish fifth, grabbing the final automatic qualifying spot.
McSweyn’s daring front-running ensured the semi-final was the fastest in Olympic history with Kenya’s Abel Kispsang winning in 3min31.65sec.
Medal favourite Jakobv Ingebrigsten was second in 3:32.13sec with McSweyn clocking 3:32.54sec.
Great Britain’s Jake Wightman won the opening semi-final in 3:33.48sec with Hoare clocking 3:34.35sec.
McSweyn, 26, admitted afterwards he would review his front-running tactics ahead of the final.
“I won’t want to go to the front as early, I’m happy following the guys,” he said.
“It’s a good tactic in the first two rounds but in the final, times don’t matter - it’s about competing.
“Hoping I can cling on the back of (Timothy) Cheruiyot and be right there on the bell.
“Strange things can happen in an Olympics so if I’m there in the mix, anything could happen.”
McSweyen said he did “a lot of the work” in Thursday’s semi-final.
“There is a lot of good 800m guys in that semi, I didn’t want to leave it,” he said. “I thought I could string them out a bit.
“I knew I was in the top seven, the main thing was getting through, they don’t hand out medals in the semi.
“I’m confident I can bring it in the final, hopefully I won’t have to do so much at the front, that will make it a little easier. I’m riding the momentum now and I think I can compete with the top guys come two night’s time.”
McSweyen said he had been inspired by Bol’s effort in the 800m the previous evening.
“That was amazing, Peter is a class act on the track, but an even better guy off it,” he said.
“We always knew he had the ability, I get a buzz other Aussies take it to the world.”
US-based Hoare, who has spent the past four years at the University of Wisconsin, said he was riding the Olympic wave in his first Australian team.
“I’ve never made an Australian team in my life, as a junior, a senior and now it’s the Tokyo Olympics,” he said.
“Expectations are high, we’ve had a terrific track and field Olympics so far.
“I know Stewart (McSweyn) and I have tried our best to make the final. To tick one of those boxes at my debut Olympics is something I should be really proud of.
“There’s a little work to do but I am really happy with where I am and I’m excited for the final.”
In Friday night’s women’s 1500m final, Jessica Hull, who set a new national record in the semi-final, will line-up with Linden Hall, the previous record-holder.
More Coverage
Lions team bus delivers Ian Healy painful Gabba reality check
With the 2032 Brisbane Olympics approaching rapidly, Australian cricket great Ian Healy was left with a wry smile as the Brisbane Lions rolled into the AFL grand final at the MCG.
Gabba for the Olympics? Crisafulli is open to it
Queensland election frontrunner David Crisafulli has left the door open to reviving plans to overhaul the Gabba as Brisbane’s marquee Olympic stadium.