Tokyo World Championships: Azeddine Habz and Jakob Ingebrigtsen knocked out in the 1,500m heats

A major shock in Tokyo: Azeddine Habz, the world’s fastest 1,500m runner this year, was eliminated in the heats after finishing a modest seventh. As if that were not enough, Norwegian phenomenon Jakob Ingebrigtsen also disappeared from the draw, placing eighth in his heat. Romain Mornet will be the only Frenchman lining up in the semifinals.

One of France’s best medal hopes at the Tokyo World Athletics Championships in Japan, Azeddine Habz came unstuck in his opening 1,500m race on Sunday morning. The world No. 1 after a blistering 3:27.49 at Charléty in late June, the Frenchman was caught out in the finish and could not make it into the top six in a stacked heat (Josh Kerr and Narve Gilje Nordas among them), eventually crossing the line in seventh (3:36.62).

“ There’s no explanation. It’s a cruel sport, said the French record-holder in the mixed zone, after spending much of the race around fifth before fading somewhat in the home straight. I lacked the punch over the last 100 metres. I tried to find something extra, but I saw the South African coming back. I think it was too late. I felt good, though. Normally, I get through races like this, heats, without a problem. Today, I really don’t understand it. It’s a poor performance… The Italian pushed me, but that’s racing. I was just trying to get to the front and be properly ready for the final sprint. With 400 metres to go, I felt really good. I kicked again, stayed in control, looked around. But over the last 50 metres, it felt like nothing was coming back. I saw the finish line getting further away. I think it was just an off day. I came here with the fastest time in the world, so I really didn’t expect to go out in the heats. I wanted to avoid that trap. I think I still need to work more on championship racing, so I don’t fall into the same trap in the heats next time.” A painful failure for the man whose Olympic campaign had already ended in the semifinals in Paris.

Romain Mornet the only Frenchman through to the semis

Behind the “cursed guide” Habz, Romain Mornet will take his place in the next round. The French runner-up this summer dug deep to launch himself down the home straight in his heat. The Vendée middle-distance runner finished fourth in the final race, clocking 3:37.19 behind returning champion Jake Wightman, the 2022 world champion. Paul Anselmini, meanwhile, failed to reach the semis, finishing ninth in heat two (3:41.84).

Jakob Ingebrigtsen also crashes out

The 1,500m, usually Jakob Ingebrigtsen’s territory, took an unexpected turn as the Norwegian was eliminated in the heats. Lacking his usual strength and never able to impose his pace, the two-time 5,000m world champion slipped back lap by lap to finish eighth in his heat (3:37.84), well below his usual standards.

“ This is my first experience of not making it through to the next round, Ingebrigtsen said. Of course, it’s very disappointing, but at the same time, it’s a reality check. You have to prepare as well as you can and, of course, I’m not at that level. I think I’m probably closer to where I need to be for the 5,000m right now. I’ll recover and have a few good days before coming back (for the 5,000m heats). Everything is a test.”

The 2021 Olympic 1,500m champion, who suffered an Achilles tendon injury in the spring, had not raced since his headline-grabbing 1,500m-3,000m double at the World Indoor Championships last March. Throughout the summer, his camp kept pushing back his return before finally deciding to send him to the Worlds without a single tune-up race in his legs. He was not ready, and it showed on the finish line.