(REUTERS) – Olympic champion Asbel Kiprop won his duel with Silas Kiplagat by outsprinting his compatriot over a thrilling last 200 metres to win a first world championships 1500 metres gold for Kenya yesterday.
Fourth, after starting as favourite in the last two world championships, Kiprop lit the afterburners over the last half lap and crossed the line in three minutes 35.69 seconds to win the title and clinch Kenya’s sixth gold in Daegu.
“It was a fantastic race and it worked out my way,” said Kiprop. “It is a great motivation to defend my Olympic title next year.
“It makes me feel very happy to be the first Kenyan to win the 1500 metres,” he said, adding to his country’s record gold haul at a world championships: “It’s really good, it shows Kenya is the best.”
Kenyan-born Yusuf Saad Kamel, who went out in the semi-finals in Daegu, won the title in Berlin two years ago for his adopted country Bahrain.
Commonwealth champion Kiplagat, the fastest man this year, had briefly led Kiprop on the back straight of the last lap but was unable to match the taller man’s pace and had to settle for silver in 3.35.92.
“I look a little disappointed because the man who got the gold medal is the man I usually beat,” he said. “He started his final sprint earlier than I expected. I fought and fought but I could not reach him. Today is his, tomorrow will be mine.
“For 2012, I must get the gold medal then. In that final, I will have to be careful, I will have to be the smartest.”
American Matt Centrowitz claimed bronze in 3.36.08 by passing Spain’s Manuel Olmedo over the last few metres.
“If somebody had told me before the competition that I would be bronze, I would tell him he was joking,” he said. “I feel like I am still dreaming.”
The Kenyans had tracked each other in the pack through the early stages of a tactical race with New Zealand’s Olympic silver medallist Nick Willis setting the pace over the first two laps.
Kiprop hit the front just before the bell and prevailed in a ding-dong battle with Kiplagat down the back straight before crossing the line with a single finger raised in the air.
The 22-year-old was elevated to Beijing Olympic gold after Rashid Ramzi was stripped of his title for a doping offence and has often expressed his dissatisfaction at winning in such a fashion.
“The Olympic Games is my main goal,” he said. “We have a good combination in-between ourselves. One-two for Kenya is really exciting, I’m happy for this. I’m looking forward to doing well in London next year.”
Kiprop said he would be in downtown Daegu this morning to hand out water to his Kenyan team mates as they go for more gold in the men’s marathon.
“Kenya will close here with a good performance in the marathon,” he said.