Asbel Kiprop takes 1,500m crown after stunning finish in Beijing

Updated 30/08/2015 at 14:35 GMT

Kenya's Asbel Kiprop won the world title at 1,500 metres for the third time on Sunday, the 2011 and 2013 champion producing a late charge from 12th place to first in the last half-lap to take gold on Sunday.

First placed Asbel Kiprop of Kenya (L) shakes hands with compatriots second placed Elijah Motonei Manangoi (R) and Timothy Cheruiyothe after the men's 1500 metres final during the 15th IAAF World Championships at the National Stadium in Beijing, China, Au

Image credit: Reuters

The tall and leggy Kiprop, 26, strode majestically to the finish and clocked 3 minutes 34.40 seconds, running the final lap in 51 seconds as his rivals battled and stumbled behind him to the line.

Kiprop won Kenya's seventh gold medal of this world championships, his team mate Elijah Manangoi took the silver in 3:34.63 and Morocco's Abdelaati Iguider threw himself across the line to secure the bronze in 3:34.67.

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Great Britain's Charlie Grice could only come in ninth with a time of 3:36.21.

"It is good to be in this sort of company and it gives me something to build on next year," Grice told the BBC. "I am happy to be here, the hard bit was getting through the rounds but I ran another solid time today."

Kiprop has now won the 1,500m at three successive World Championships - 2011 in Daegu, 2013 in Moscow and 2015 in Beijing.

The 26-year-old also won Olympic gold in 2008.

"I am so proud of myself to become part of this exclusive club of three-times world champions," Kiprop told reporters.

"But I would dearly love to defend the title a fourth time in London in 2017.

"I became Olympic champion here in Beijing but I have never been on the top of the podium."

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