As expected the 1500m race here in Monaco resulted in a last-lap sprint battle and the win went to the fastest finisher of the day: Ivan Heshko.
The Ukrainian World bronze medallist maintained a comfortable position in second right behind Michael East (GBR) all the way through the race and waited until 80 metres to go to kick to the line. The perfect strategy for tactical races like today’s.
East was somehow forced to set the pace as no-one clearly wanted that burden and he led a compact group through the first 400m in a very slow 1:07.38. The pace hardly toughened and East with Heshko on his heels, Adil Kaouch of Morocco and Paul Korir of Kenya right behind, was timed in 2:10.77 at 800m.
Olympic silver medallist Bernard Lagat of Kenya was in fourth with Rui Silva of Portugal, the bronze medallist in Athens running on the outside.
The ‘real’ race started with one lap to go when East, still in the lead, dramatically increased the tempo. Korir, Heshko Kamal Boulahfane of Algeria and Lagat were close behind but clearly faster finishers than the British athlete and easily overtook him on the back straight.
It was Boulahfane, eleventh in the Olympic final, who entered the final straight in the lead with Korir and Heshko ready to make their move.
While Heshko sped away clearly the strongest finisher, Korir faded leaving the way to former World Junior champion Alex Kipchirchir who despite pushing hard to try and catch up with the Ukrainian had to be content with second today.
Heshko ran the last lap in a blistering 50 seconds and clocked 3:44.92 for his first win since the Stockholm Grand Prix back in July. Kipchirchir who was three hundredths of a second behind in second led a quartet of Kenyans at the line.
35-year-old Laban Rotich came back strongly in the final 30 metres and out-dipped Lagat (3:45.41) for third in 3:45.38 with Korir taking fifth in 3:45.68.
Boulahfane who was still in the lead with 100 metres to go was sixth in 3:45.78 while East, the early-stage leader was seventh in 4:45.93.
Usually an excellent finished, Silva had no strength left and eventually finished eighth in 3:46.05.
“It was exactly the kind of race I expected because there were no pace makers,” said Heshko. “Nobody wanted to take the lead so the race was slow and tactical as I like them.”
Olympic champion Hicham El Guerrouj did not compete as the Moroccan decided to end his season after his superb double gold medal winning performances in Athens.
LA
