Sifan Hassan storms back to win 1,500-meter heat after falling on final lap
Sifan Hassan is looking to win gold in three long-distance races this Olympics
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Sifan Hassan, of the Netherlands, didn’t let a final-lap fall deter her from winning her 1,500-meter heat at the Tokyo Olympics on Monday.
The Dutch athlete tried and failed to hurdle over Kenya’s Edinah Jebitok during the race. Jebitok had fallen at the final bell right in front of Hassan as runners jostled for position at the start of the final lap.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Hassan went down but quickly got back to her feet to chase down the leading pack. She caught up to Australia’s Jessica Hull and Elinor Purrier St. Pierre of the U.S. Hassan finished with a 4:05.17 and avoided a shocking elimination from the event altogether.
She was third-from-last at the start of the final lap and just before she fell to the ground. She didn’t speak to reporters after the race as she had to quickly recover and prepare for the 5,000-meter final.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}She qualified for the 5,000-meter final, which is set to take place later Monday.
Hassan won the 1,500 and the 10,000-meter races at the 2019 World Championships in Doha, Qatar. She plans to run in the 10,000-meter race in Tokyo as well. No athlete has ever won gold in all three events at the Olympics.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Hassan’s schedule is packed with six races in eight days in the Tokyo heat.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.