The build-up had been dominated by Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Josh Kerr’s bitter rivalry, yet all the focus was misjudged because now there is a new king.
Cole Hocker sneaked up on the inside in lane one just as Kerr had breezed past the Norwegian favourite. The American snatched gold, beating his personal best by three seconds, in a sizzling Games record of 3min 27.65sec. And it was all down to an injection of raw speed: 39.6 seconds for the final 300m.
Indeed, this was a race for the ages and you did not know where to look with daring candidates throughout a stacked field now littered with four new national records and three more personal bests.
Kerr, who would settle for silver, upgrading his bronze from Tokyo, beat out American Yared Nuguse by one-hundredth of a second. He had promised a vicious battle on the lilac of the Stade de France, and so it proved. This was the shock of the Games. But which shock?
Hocker underlined his credentials at the US trials, beating Nuguse, so there were signs. But an even greater surprise came just six-tenths of a second later: Ingebrigtsen left off the podium altogether and down in fourth.
There was a grimace from Kerr as he crossed the line, but he ran the race of his life, timing his kick superbly with 200m to go and hitting the front in the final 100m. A new national record of 3mins 27.79secs, ending Mo Farah’s long-standing best, yet this was a cruel twist with barely a few meters remaining.
Denne historien er fra August 07, 2024-utgaven av The Independent.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra August 07, 2024-utgaven av The Independent.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
'No thought' batting leaves England on brink of defeat
England were left facing an uphill battle to maintain their unbeaten Test summer after batting with \"no thought\" in the second innings.
Sinner seals US Open with straight-sets win over Fritz
Jannik Sinner let his tennis do the talking as he won the US Open for the first time. The world number one came into the tournament under a cloud following his anti-doping scandal, where he escaped a ban despite two positive tests in March.
Coach Carsley could signal end of the England manager
Lee Carsley has said he is more of a head coach than a manager and that the latter could become extinct in international football.
Team GB's triumph goes far beyond the medal table tally
In terms of weather, they've had the worst summer in nearly 140 years here in Paris, which is perhaps why Britain's Paralympians felt so at home.
VENETIAN CLASS
Venice festivalgoers were treated to a first look at the actors and films in contention for Oscars, writes Geoffrey Macnab
THREE'S COMPANY
Oliver Keens didn't set out to have threesomes this summer - from heterosexual couples 'seeking a third' to sex-positive 'MMF friendly' individuals, the opportunities found him...
How William can live up to his father's wish for him to champion the marginalised
Yesterday marked the second anniversary of Elizabeth II's death and the King's accession to the throne. In his first televised address to the nation as Charles III, he thanked his “darling Mama” for her love and devotion, quoted Shakespeare – “May flights of Angels sing thee to thy rest” – and assumed her mantle of a lifelong commitment to public service.
Namibia to slaughter over 700 wild animals for meat
Plans by the Namibian government to kill 83 elephants and 640 other wild animals to feed the meat to people have sparked a fierce international row. The British high commissioner to the country is among those backing the idea but ecologists are warning of a colossal disaster” for Africa’s wildlife.
Man accused of filming rape on Indian street is arrested
Police in India arrested a man who allegedly filmed and shared a video of the rape of a woman on a street in a case that has sparked a public outcry.
Pope hosts mass in remote Papua New Guinea town
Pontiff calls for end to tribal violence in nearby communities