Advertisement

'What a freak': Runner's 'mind-blowing' act after fall at Olympics

Sam Goodwin
·Sports Editor
·4-min read
Sifan Hassan still won her 1500m heat despite falling with 400m to go. Image: Channel 7
Sifan Hassan still won her 1500m heat despite falling with 400m to go. Image: Channel 7

Sifan Hassan has left the world in awe at the Olympics, winning her 1500m heat despite a nasty fall.

The Dutch runner was brought down in a painful collision with a fellow runner with about 400m left in Monday's race.

'WHAT THE HELL': Uproar over gold medal 'farce' at Olympics

'KIDNAPPED': Star runner in shocking scandal at Olympics

Hassan fell way behind the lead pack after falling just after the bell to signal the final lap.

But she dusted herself off and mowed down the rest of the field to still win the heat.

The Dutch runner ended up edging out Aussie Jessica Hull by just 0.11 seconds.

Sifan Hassan got back up after the fall and still won the heat. Image: Getty
Sifan Hassan got back up after the fall and still won the heat. Image: Getty

The insane effort showed why the 28-year-old is the favourite to win gold, with fans and commentators around the world left in disbelief.

Liam Boylan-Pett asked "Did Sifan Hassan just become THE CHAMPION OF ALL OLYMPICS???"

Reuben Frank wrote: "Sifan Hassan gets knocked down with 300 meters to go, is sprawled out on the track as the field runs away from her, gets back up, sprints back into the race and wins her 1,500 semi in 4:05.17.

"That's mind-blowing."

While Jacqui Hurley tweeted: "Crazy second heat of 1500m. Siffan Hassan falls & still manages to win it to qualify for final.

"Sprints from practically last to 1st to do it. Astonishing."

Sifan Hassan eyeing unprecedented Olympics treble

Hassan is eyeing off an unprecedented Olympic treble amid the searing heat and humidity at the Tokyo Games.

The Ethiopia-born Dutch runner faces a testing day, again taking to the track in the evening for the 5000m final.

The world 1500 and 10,000m champion from 2019 will also race the latter in Tokyo.

No one has ever won gold in all three events at the Olympics.

"For me it is crucial to follow my heart," she said.

"Doing that is far more important than gold medals.

"That keeps me motivated and it keeps me enjoying this beautiful sport."

Aussies Hull and Linden Hall eased into the semi-finals with a minimum of fuss.

Hall was rewarded for a brave display of front-running by cruising through third in a slick time of four minutes 02.27 seconds in the quickest heat won by defending Olympic champ Faith Kipyegon from Kenya.

Having decided to target the 1500m rather than the 5000m in Tokyo, the US-based Hull (4:05.28) was also untroubled in advancing to the semis on Wednesday evening.

"Definitely you want to do one (event) and do it well," Australian 5000m record holder Hull told the Seven Network.

"At this point in my career, the 1500 is where I'm most confident.

"I've raced it the most times, I know how to navigate the tactics a bit better.

"And it's pretty brutal conditions for a 5K here, so choosing the 1500, when my coach decided a couple of weeks ago, I was all in."

Georgia Griffith was never in contention in the opening heat as she finished second-last in 4:14.43.

with agencies

Watch 'Mind Games', the new series from Yahoo Sport Australia exploring the often brutal mental toil elite athletes go through in pursuit of greatness:

Click here to sign up to our newsletter for all the latest and breaking stories from Australia and around the world.