Australian Jessica Hull crosses the finish line to win bronze in the women's 1500m race, nine milliseconds ahead of Nelly Chepchirchir, September 16, 2025.
When the women’s 1500m final exploded into life at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Nelly Chepchirchir knew she was lining up against giants.
Faith Kipyegon was chasing history, Dorcus Ewoi was on the rise, and Jessica Hull had the form of her life.
For Chepchirchir, the goal was simple—survive the storm, qualify for the final, and soak in the experience.
But what unfolded under the bright Tokyo lights on Tuesday night was more than just survival. It was Chepchirchir’s coming-of-age performance.
The 22-year-old clocked a blistering 3:55.25, her lifetime best, to finish fourth—just nine milliseconds shy of Australia’s Jessica Hull, who snatched bronze in 3:55.16.
“I have nothing to regret because I ran my personal best,” Chepchirchir said with a beaming smile after the race.
“This season has been good to me, and going into the championship, my target was just to qualify for the finals. I did that, and running my PB on such a stage is such an accomplishment.”
The race was another showcase of Kenya’s dominance in middle-distance running.
Faith Kipyegon stormed to her fourth consecutive world title in 3:52.15, cementing her legacy as the queen of the 1500m, while compatriot Dorcus Ewoi produced her own lifetime best of 3:54.92 to clinch silver.
The 1-2 finish sent the Kenyan camp into celebration. Chepchirchir, though missing the podium, was just as thrilled for her teammates.
“I’m excited for them because they made it to the medal. I’m so happy for them and I’m proud of them,” she said.
Nelly Chepchirchir runs to book a spot in the 1500m semi-finals on September 14, 2025.Interestingly, Ewoi admitted her silver medal came as an unexpected gift. “My aim was just the finals,” she revealed.
“But with 100 meters to go, I saw myself within medal reach. I pushed as hard as I could, and I did it. Honestly, I just feel so blessed.”
She recalled how the decisive moment came in the final stretch, when she was running behind Chepchirchir, Hull, and Kipyegon.
“I thought, I don’t think I can get Nelly and Jess, but I told myself to push to the line. Even if I didn’t get a medal, I knew I would get a huge PB. So I just gave it everything.”
Ewoi confessed she almost broke in the final 300 meters but leaned on a mental trick she had practised in training—counting her trademark 150 finishing strides.
“My coach told me, ‘just go there and be happy, you’ve made it here healthy. Push yourself, don’t panic. If the race gets hard, just enjoy the moment.”
For Chepchirchir, missing a medal by fractions of a second would break many athletes, but for her, it only confirmed she is on the right path.
Her Tokyo race ended with something far more enduring—a personal best, a fearless fight, and the unshakable belief that her time is coming.
