Hocker wins world 5,000m as Ingebrigtsen finishes empty-handed / Photo: Jewel SAMAD - AFP
NYSE - LSE
Hocker wins world 5,000m as Ingebrigtsen finishes empty-handed
American Cole Hocker sprinted to victory in the men's 5,000m at the world championships in Tokyo on Sunday.
The Olympic 1,500m champion timed 12min 58.30sec for gold at Japan's National Stadium.
It went some way to making up for the 24-year-old American's disqualification in the semi-finals of the 1,500m for jostling earlier in these championships.
Belgium's Kenyan-born Isaac Kimeli took silver in 12:58.78, with France's Jimmy Gressier claiming a bronze medal to add to his shock 10,000m gold.
Norway's Jakob Ingebrigtsen came into the race as defending champion, but having sat out the entire outdoor season.
The effort proved too much on the night for the Norwegian, who eventually came 10th in 13:02.00.
Ingebrigtsen had tried to dictate the pace of the 12-and-a-half lap race, taking the lead with four laps to run.
But he lost that with 600 metres to go and was never in contention for a medal.
It was a tight affair down the far straight of the final lap, and off the bend, Hocker sat in fourth but the American turned on the afterburners to pass his rivals with the finish line in sight.
J.F.Rauw--JdB
