FAITH KIPYEGON HAD WON 7 of 8 available global 1500 titles since 2016, but when she shut this season down early due to an ongoing hamstring issue, the door opened for someone new to take top honors in Budapest. Poland’s Klaudia Kazimierska took advantage and continued her breakthrough campaign, coming out on top in a thrilling duel with Georgia Hunter Bell of Great Britain.
With no heats, the athletes stepped onto the track fresh. France’s Agathe Guillemot, 4th at both the World Indoor and European Championships this year, went to the front right away, with Kazimierska on her shoulder, followed by Australia’s Jessica Hull and American Emily Mackay. The early pace was solid (63.32), but eased up on the second lap, with Guillemot towing the field through 800 in 2:11.31.
American Nikki Hiltz swung wide just before 1000 for better position on the outside, but Guillemot held onto the lead at the bell and continued to set the tempo at 1200 (3:14.96). Moments later Kazimierska, coming off a DL Final win in a world-leading 3:54.05 a week earlier, surged to the front. Hunter Bell, who had been back in 6th with a lap to go, responded immediately and moved up onto her shoulder.
The pair entered the homestretch together, but Kazimierska found another gear and turned the tables on Hunter Bell, who had beaten her decisively at the European Championships in August.
Kazimierska finished in 3:57.55 off a 57.44 final 400, just ahead of Hunter Bell (3:57.72), who had a slightly faster last lap (57.36) but was coming from just a bit too far back.
Hiltz (3:58.16) held off the chasers for 3rd, with Ethiopia’s Freweyni Hailu (3:58.44), Kenya’s Dorcus Ewoi (3:58.55) and Australia’s Commonwealth mile champion Abbey Caldwell (3:58.64) close behind. Mackay (3:59.16) and Guillemot (3:59.40) placed 7th and 8th.
“In each race [this season] I showed something that I can be winning, but in every race I was missing one piece,” said Kazimierska, who ran collegiately for Oregon and still trains in Eugene. “I was running on the outside, I was too far in the back. I learned over the season.”
Already an Olympic and Worlds medalist, Hunter Bell was pleased with her effort at the end of a long year that saw her win the World Indoor and European 1500s plus the Commonwealth 800.
“I am so proud of myself. The goal was to win four major competitions in one year and I won three out of four, and I finished 2nd in the other,” she said. “After last week [finishing 4th in the DL Final], I honestly felt like the fire had gone for the season, so I had to work really hard to get that feeling back, and it showed me how important the mental side of racing is. I am really proud that I was able to come back and fight like that.”
UC WOMEN’S 1500 RESULTS
(September 12)
1. Klaudia Kazimierska (Pol) 3:57.55 (63.38, 67.96 [2:11.34], 64.64 [3:14.98], 42.57)
(14.27, 28.02, 42.57, 57.44, 2:03.09)
2. Georgia Hunter Bell (GB) 3:57.72
(14.44, 28.27, 42.71, 57.36, 2:02.95)
3. Nikki Hiltz (US) 3:58.16
(14.31, 28.40, 43.15, 57.99, 2:03.45)
4. Freweyni Hailu (Eth) 3:58.44
(14.36, 28.61, 42.78, 57.65, 2:03.75)
5. Dorcus Ewoi (Ken) 3:58.55
6. Abbey Caldwell (Aus) 3:58.64
7. Emily Mackay (US) 3:59.16
8. Agathe Guillemot (Fra) 3:59.40 (63.32, 67.99 [2:11.31], 63.65 [3:14.96])
9. Jessica Hull (Aus) 3:59.97
10. Saron Berhe (Eth) 4:00.28
11. Birke Haylom (Eth) 4:03.75
12. Haregeweyn Kalayu (Eth) 4:06.14.
