Summary
The final saw the return of several lead combatants from the 3000 metres two days earlier. Their strategies changed here. At the gun, world record holder Genzebe Dibaba started more aggressively, showing her intent to mark the leader, who turned out to be Beatrice Chepkoech. Returning champion, Sifan Hassan went to her familiar position at the back of the pack. After a lap of easy jogging, Rababe Arafi moved out to a faster pace, immediately marked by Dibaba. The additional speed quickly brought Hassan into a marking position on Chepkoech behind Dibaba, then Laura Muir squeezed through the inside to run behind Dibaba. After another lap, Dibaba tired of the gamesmanship and took the lead. Hassan, Muir, Chepkoech, Arafi and Winny Chebet formed a chase pack that separated from the rest of the field. Over two faster laps, Chepkoech moved past Hassan to mark Dibaba as the three broke away from the other three, with Muir looking like she was struggling to hold on to the back of the second group. But with three laps to go, Muir sprinted around the group and quickly bridged the gap back to lead group. Chepkoech struggled and fell off the back leaving a three woman breakaway, with Dibaba leading Hassan then Muir with two laps to go. The medalists were decided as the two Kenyan women faded in the rearview mirror. The positions remained the same until the final backstretch when Muir sprinted past Hassan as Dibaba pulled away. Dibaba continued to pull away to the finish, Muir separating from Hassan.
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