The 1500 metres or 1,500-metre run is the foremost middle distance track event in athletics. The distance has been contested at the Summer Olympics since 1896 and the World Championships in Athletics since 1983. It is equivalent to 1.5 kilometers or approximately 15⁄16 miles. The event is closely associated with its slightly longer cousin, the mile race, from which it derives its nickname "the metric mile".
Faith Chepngetich Kipyegon is a Kenyan middle- and long-distance runner. Kipyegon is the current world record holder for the 1,500 metres and mile, both set in 2023, and the former world record holder for the 5,000 metres. Kipyegon won a gold medal each at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in the 1,500 m. She also won a gold medal in the 1,500 m at the 2017, 2022 and 2023 World Athletics Championships and in the 5,000 m at the 2023 World Athletics Championships.
Laura Muir is a Scottish middle- and long-distance runner. She is the 2020 Tokyo Olympic silver medallist in the 1500 metres, having previously finished seventh in the event at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Muir won the bronze medal at the 2022 World Championships, and has three other top five placings in 1500 m finals at the World Athletics Championships, finishing fifth in 2015, fourth in 2017 and fifth in 2019. She is a two-time European 1500 m champion from 2018 and 2022 as well as the 2022 Commonwealth Games 1500 m champion and 800 metres bronze medallist.
Gudaf Tsegay Desta is an Ethiopian middle- and long-distance runner. She is the current women’s world record holder for 5,000 m (14:00.21), set at the 2023 final Diamond League event, the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon. Eugene is also where she won the World Athletics Championships on 5,000 m in 2022. At the World Athletics Championships, Tsegay also won the gold medal for 10,000 metres in 2023; a bronze for the 1,500 metres in 2019, and silver in 2022. She is the 2020 Tokyo Olympic bronze medallist in the women's 5,000 metres. She is a two-time World Indoor Championship 1,500 m medallist, claiming bronze in 2016 and gold in 2022. She is also the world indoor record holder for the 1,500 m, setting previously in this event world under-18 (current) and U20 (former) records.
Dawit Seyaum Biratu is an Ethiopian middle- and long-distance runner who specialises in the 1500 metres. She placed fourth at the 2015 World Championships and won the silver medal at the 2016 World Indoor Championships. Dawit took a bronze in the 5000 metres at the 2022 World Championships.
Jakob Ingebrigtsen is a Norwegian middle- and long-distance runner. Ingebrigtsen is the current world record holder for the indoor 1500 metres and the 2000 metres, and holds the world best time over the two mile distance. Ingebrigtsen is a two-time World champion, winning gold medals in the 5000 metres in 2022 and 2023 and a four-time European champion, winning gold medals in the 1500 m and 5000 m in 2018 and 2022. He also won a gold medal in the 1500 m at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, setting an Olympic and European record. In addition to the 1500 m, Ingebrigtsen holds European records in the mile and 5000 m, and is one of only three men to run a sub-3:30 1500 m, sub-7:30 3000 m and a sub-12:50 5000 m.
Jemma Reekie is a Scottish middle-distance runner who competed at the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Diribe Welteji Kejelcha is an Ethiopian middle-distance runner. She won the silver medal in the 1500 metres at the 2023 World Championships and placed fourth in the 800 metres at the 2022 World Championships.
Sophie Becker is an Irish athlete. She competed in the women's 400 metres event at the 2021 European Athletics Indoor Championships. She took part in the mixed 4 × 400 metres relay event at the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Freweyni Hailu is an Ethiopian middle-distance runner. She won the gold medal at the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships over 1500 metres.
Leyanis Pérez Hernández is a Cuban athlete who has won medals at the World Athletics Championships and World Athletics Indoor Championships in the triple jump.
Yared Nuguse is an American middle-distance runner who specializes in the 1500 meters. He was the 2019 NCAA Division I champion in the event. Nuguse is the North American outdoor record holder over 1500 meters and one mile, and the North American indoor record holder for the 1500 meters, one mile and 3000 meters. Since June 2022, Nuguse has competed for the On Athletics Club under coach Dathan Ritzenhein.
Revée Walcott-Nolan is a British athlete, known for being the 1500m British Champion in 2021, and competing for Britain in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Azeddine Habz is a French middle- and long-distance runner. He won the bronze medal in the 1500 metres at the 2023 European Indoor Championships.
The following table is an overview of national records in the 1500 metres.
Brenda Chebet is a Kenyan track and field athlete. She won silver at the 1500 metres at the 2022 World Athletics U20 Championships. In February 2023 she won a gold medal in the mixed relay at the 2023 World Athletics Cross Country Championships.
Samuel Firewu Fiche is an Ethiopian track and field athlete. He finished second at the 2022 World Athletics U20 Championships and won the 2022 Ethiopian Athletics Championships in the 3000m steeplechase.
Luke McCann is an Irish track and field athlete.
Samuel Pihlström is a Swedish middle-distance runner. He is a Swedish national champion and indoor record holder over 1500 metres.
