2025 World Athletics Championships – Women's 1500 metres

Last updated

Women's 1500 metres
at the 2025 World Athletics Championships
Venue National Stadium
Location Tokyo, Japan
Dates13 September (heats)
14 September (semi-finals)
16 September (final)
Winning time3:52.15
Medalists
Gold medal icon.svg   Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya
Silver medal icon.svg   Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya
Bronze medal icon.svg   Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
  2023
2027  

The women's 1500 metres at the 2025 World Athletics Championships was held at the National Stadium in Tokyo on 13, 14 and 16 September 2025. [1]

Contents

Summary

To say Faith Kipyegon owns this event is almost an understatement. She had won every major since 2016, save a monster finishing kick by Sifan Hassan in 2019, meaning three Olympic gold medals and three World championships in this event alone. Her 2025 was spent trying to break the 4 minute mile for Nike and TV. Ultimately she did set a legitimate new world record in that event. Her 1500 world record dates back to last year. Few rivals returned from the 2023 championships include fifth place Nelly Chepchirchir, Laura Muir and Jessica Hull. Hull won the silver medal at the Olympics and over the last couple of years, shown the ability to keep up with Kipyegon. When Kipyegon was attempting to break the world record in the 3000 metres earlier in the year, Hull served as pacemaker.

In the semifinal round, there was some unnecessary contact leaving Marta Zenoni disqualified, Nele Weßel advance by the referee and Salomé Afonso advanced by the Jury of Appeals. [2]

The final went off in less dramatic fashion. The field slowly collapsed to the point that Kipyegon had the lead going into the first turn. Sinclaire Johnson took the second position directly behind, then through the turn Hull came around the outside to take her position second in the hierarchy. Chepchirchir took up residence on the outside of lane 1 next to Johnson with the third Kenyan Dorcus Ewoi directly behind. Nobody made a significant move through the first two laps as the field strung out as each runner couldn't keep up. Starting the third lap, Freweyni Hailu ran around the stretching out pack to try to join the party at the front. Going in to the bell, Johnson was falling back allowing a separation in the field with Nikki Hiltz the last of six in position to run for the money. As Kipyegon drove from the front, in just a 100m turn, Hailu and Hiltz were falling off the back. Down the backstretch, Chepchirchir and Ewoi were losing ground, but Hull was determined not to let Kipyegon get away. Through the final turn, Kipyegon turned the screw slowly building a 5-metre lead. As Hull made one more final effort to sprint for home, behind her Chepchirchir and Ewoi were battling over who would get bronze. Foretold by her race in the Diamond League final, Hull's racing legs started to give out 50 metres before the finish line. Ewoi set off trying to improve her medal. After she was passed by Ewoi, Hull's form fell apart. Struggling badly, she barely got over the finish line ahead of Chepchirchir. Now Kipyegon had completed her World Championship threepeat matching the Olympic one she completed last year. [3] [4]

Records

Before the competition records were as follows: [5]

RecordAthlete & Nat.Perf.LocationDate
World record Flag of Kenya.svg  Faith Kipyegon  (KEN)3:48.68 Eugene, United States5 July 2025
Championship record Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Sifan Hassan  (NED)3:51.95 Doha, Qatar5 October 2019
World Leading Flag of Kenya.svg  Faith Kipyegon  (KEN)3:48.68 Eugene, United States5 July 2025
African Record
Asian Record Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  Qu Yunxia  (CHN)3:50.46 Beijing, China11 September 1993
European Record Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Sifan Hassan  (NED)3:51.95 Doha, Qatar5 October 2019
North, Central American and Caribbean record Flag of the United States.svg  Shelby Houlihan  (USA)3:54.99
Oceanian record Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Jessica Hull  (AUS)3:50.83 Paris, France7 July 2024
South American Record Flag of Suriname.svg  Letitia Vriesde  (SUR)4:05.67 Tokyo, Japan31 August 1991

Qualification standard

The standard to qualify automatically for entry was 4:01.50. [6]

Schedule

The event schedule, in local time (UTC+9), was as follows: [1]

DateTimeRound
13 September19:50 Heats
14 September21:07 Semi-finals
16 September22:05 Final

Results

Heats

The heats took place on 13 September. The first six athletes in each heat ( Q ) qualified for the semi-finals.

Heat 1

PlaceAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Jessica Hull Flag of Australia.svg  Australia 4:04.40 Q
2 Sinclaire Johnson Flag of the United States.svg  United States 4:04.59 Q
3 Gaia Sabbatini Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 4:04.93 Q
4 Dorcus Ewoi Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 4:04.99 Q
5 Marta Pérez Flag of Spain.svg  Spain 4:05.14 Q
6 Weronika Lizakowska Flag of Poland.svg  Poland 4:05.35 Q
7 Vera Sjöberg Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 4:06.01
8 Erin Wallace Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain & N.I. 4:06.07
9 Saron Berhe Flag of Ethiopia.svg  Ethiopia 4:07.06
10 Nozomi Tanaka Flag of Japan.svg  Japan 4:07.34
11 Amina Maatoug Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 4:09.25
12 Lilly Nägeli Flag of Switzerland.svg  Switzerland 4:12.30
13 Laura Nicholson Flag of Ireland.svg  Ireland 4:14.12
14 María Pía Fernández Flag of Uruguay.svg  Uruguay 4:28.10
[7]

Heat 2

PlaceAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Nelly Chepchirchir Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 4:07.01 Q
2 Klaudia Kazimierska Flag of Poland.svg  Poland 4:07.34 Q
3 Salomé Afonso Flag of Portugal.svg  Portugal 4:07.44 Q
4 Linden Hall Flag of Australia.svg  Australia 4:07.61 Q
5 Emily Mackay Flag of the United States.svg  United States 4:08.19 Q
6 Revée Walcott-Nolan Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain & N.I. 4:08.67 Q
7 Lucia Stafford Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 4:08.98
8 Şilan Ayyıldız Flag of Turkey.svg  Turkey 4:09.50
9 Anne Gine Løvnes  [ de; no ]Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 4:10.61
10 Marissa Damink Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 4:11.18
11 Pooja Olla Flag of India.svg  India 4:13.75
12 Wilma Nielsen Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 4:13.98
13 Bahiya El Arfaoui Flag of Morocco.svg  Morocco 4:17.17
14 Lodkeo Inthakoumman Flag of Laos.svg  Laos 4:45.13 SB
[7]

Heat 3

PlaceAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Freweyni Hailu Flag of Ethiopia.svg  Ethiopia 4:01.23 Q
2 Nikki Hiltz Flag of the United States.svg  United States 4:01.73 Q
3 Susan Ejore Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 4:01.99 Q
4 Gabriela DeBues-Stafford Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 4:02.00 Q
5 Agathe Guillemot Flag of France.svg  France 4:02.05 Q
6 Sophie O'Sullivan Flag of Ireland.svg  Ireland 4:02.12 Q, SB
7 Esther Guerrero Flag of Spain.svg  Spain 4:02.20
8 Joceline Wind Flag of Switzerland.svg  Switzerland 4:04.29
9 Sarah Billings Flag of Australia.svg  Australia 4:06.22
10 Jolanda Kallabis Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 4:08.71
11 Knight Aciru Flag of Uganda.svg  Uganda 4:09.79
12 Ludovica Cavalli Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 4:09.91
13 Adelle Tracey Flag of Jamaica.svg  Jamaica 4:11.87
14 Tomoka Kimura Flag of Japan.svg  Japan 4:15.70
[7]

Heat 4

PlaceAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Faith Kipyegon Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 4:02.55 Q
2 Sarah Madeleine Flag of France.svg  France 4:02.66 Q
3 Sarah Healy Flag of Ireland.svg  Ireland 4:02.67 Q
4 Marta Zenoni Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 4:02.77 Q
5 Gabija Galvydytė Flag of Lithuania.svg  Lithuania 4:02.81 Q
6 Nele Weßel Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 4:03.57 Q, PB
7 Águeda Marqués Flag of Spain.svg  Spain 4:04.13
8 Laura Muir Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain & N.I. 4:05.59
9 Vera Bertemes-Hoffmann Flag of Luxembourg.svg  Luxembourg 4:06.11
10 Kate Current Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 4:07.52
11 Sofia Thøgersen Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 4:08.48 SB
12 Micaela Levaggi Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina 4:09.76 NR
13 Mia Barnett Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 4:16.71
14 Gresa Bakraçi  [ de; it; no ]Flag of Kosovo.svg  Kosovo 4:22.06
15 Ingeborg Østgård Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 4:27.56
[7]

Semi-finals

The semi-finals took place on 13 September. The first six athletes in each heat ( Q ) qualified for the final.

Heat 1

PlaceAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Faith Kipyegon Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 4:00.34 Q
2 Dorcus Ewoi Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 4:00.65 Q
3 Freweyni Hailu Flag of Ethiopia.svg  Ethiopia 4:01.03 Q
4 Sinclaire Johnson Flag of the United States.svg  United States 4:01.08 Q
5 Marta Pérez Flag of Spain.svg  Spain 4:01.19 Q
6 Sarah Madeleine Flag of France.svg  France 4:01.30 Q
7 Linden Hall Flag of Australia.svg  Australia 4:01.65
8 Gabija Galvydytė Flag of Lithuania.svg  Lithuania 4:01.79
9 Weronika Lizakowska Flag of Poland.svg  Poland 4:03.39
10 Emily Mackay Flag of the United States.svg  United States 4:12.80
11 Gaia Sabbatini Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 4:12.93
12 Sophie O'Sullivan Flag of Ireland.svg  Ireland 4:18.18
[8]

Heat 2

PlaceAthleteNationTimeNotes
1 Nelly Chepchirchir Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 4:06.86 Q
2 Jessica Hull Flag of Australia.svg  Australia 4:06.87 Q
3 Nikki Hiltz Flag of the United States.svg  United States 4:07.04 Q
4 Klaudia Kazimierska Flag of Poland.svg  Poland 4:07.83 Q
5 Gabriela DeBues-Stafford Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 4:08.29 Q
6 Sarah Healy Flag of Ireland.svg  Ireland 4:08.78 Q
7 Susan Ejore Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 4:09.28
8 Revée Walcott-Nolan Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain & N.I. 4:11.07
9 Agathe Guillemot Flag of France.svg  France 4:11.33
10 Salomé Afonso Flag of Portugal.svg  Portugal 4:15.08 qJ
11 Nele Weßel Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 4:18.21 qR
Marta Zenoni Flag of Italy.svg  Italy DQ 17.1.2
[8]

Final

The final took place on 16 September.

PlaceAthleteNationTimeNotes
Gold medal icon.svg Faith Kipyegon Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 3:52.15
Silver medal icon.svg Dorcus Ewoi Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 3:54.92 PB
Bronze medal icon.svg Jessica Hull Flag of Australia.svg  Australia 3:55.16
4 Nelly Chepchirchir Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 3:55.25 PB
5 Nikki Hiltz Flag of the United States.svg  United States 3:57.08
6 Freweyni Hailu Flag of Ethiopia.svg  Ethiopia 3:57.33
7 Klaudia Kazimierska Flag of Poland.svg  Poland 3:57.95 PB
8 Sarah Madeleine Flag of France.svg  France 3:58.09 PB
9 Marta Pérez Flag of Spain.svg  Spain 3:58.54 SB
10 Sarah Healy Flag of Ireland.svg  Ireland 3:59.14
11 Gabriela DeBues-Stafford Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 3:59.65 SB
12 Salomé Afonso Flag of Portugal.svg  Portugal 4:00.47
13 Sinclaire Johnson Flag of the United States.svg  United States 4:00.92
14 Nele Weßel Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 4:10.31
[9]

References

  1. 1 2 "Women's 1500 Metres - Schedule". World Athletics. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
  2. https://www.essentiallysports.com/olympics-and-track-and-field-news-track-field-fans-in-shock-as-twenty-four-year-old-battles-back-from-brutal-fall-to-shine-at-world-athletics-championships/
  3. https://www.bbc.com/sport/athletics/articles/c0q7g9v97kpo
  4. https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/2025/9/16/kenyas-kipyegon-wins-record-fourth-1500m-title-at-world-athletics
  5. "Women's 1500 Metres - Records". World Athletics. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
  6. "World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 – Qualification System and Entry Standards" (PDF). World Athletics. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 September 2025. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "Women's 1500 metres - Heat results" (PDF). World Athletics. 13 September 2025. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
  8. 1 2 "Women's 1500 Metres - Semi-finals results" (PDF). World Athletics. 14 September 2025. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
  9. "Women's 1500 Metres - Final results" (PDF). World Athletics. 16 September 2025. Retrieved 16 September 2025.