2014 End-of-Year Review – Men’s 1,500m

Monaco was also the place for the fastest 1500m race of the season and it produced the top seven marks on the 2014 world list.

Silas Kiplagat, the winner of this race in a world-leading 3:27.64, was also the outstanding performer in the event this season. The 25-year-old Kenyan didn’t qualify for the final in Sopot at the World Indoor Championships, but after that he had an impressive outdoor season. Three IAAF Diamond League wins and four second places was an impressive showing, but Kiplagat didn’t compete in any major championships during the season.

Ayanleh Souleiman finished only fourth in Monaco with a 3:29.58 national record, but he crossed the line first on all major occasions during the season. The 21-year-old from Djibouti won the world indoor title in Sopot and then went on to add the African title and Continental Cup wins in Marrakech. Souleiman was also victorious in two IAAF Diamond League meetings, both in the mile, and finished second twice.

Asbel Kiprop, winner of the past two world titles, was second in three important races. His season’s best of 3:28.45 came in Monaco where he finished behind Kiplagat, and the 25-year-old Kenyan was also second at the African Championships and Continental Cup.

Third in Monaco was 19-year-old Ronald Kwemoi, also from Kenya, in a world junior record of 3:28.81, lowering Cornelius Chirchir’s 3:30.24 by a big margin of 1.43 seconds. Chirchir’s mark had stood for one day short of 10 years, since 19 July 2002 and was also run in Monaco.

Prepared by Mirko jalava for IAAF.org