It’s not unreasonable to say that no one could’ve predicted this podium. That’s not to say that Isaac Nader, Jake Wightman, and Reynold Cheruiyot aren’t all medal-worthy contenders in their own rights, just that the series of circumstances that had to stack on top of one another to make this particular outcome happen was highly improbable.
Without Jakob Ingebrigtsen to assume the role of pacemaker, the field hit 400 meters in a relatively pedestrian 59.45, and each successive second that the tempo lagged injected a little extra variability into the last lap. No one saw Kerr’s untimely calf injury coming: the Scotsman is remarkably consistent in global finals, with his lowest finish of the decade being sixth in 2022. And heading into the last lap, one measly second separated the top 12 contenders.
Nader and Wightman are both known for their footspeed, and the race was set up perfectly for them to take advantage. In particular, Wightman has looked like a rejuvenated runner throughout these championships after missing the last two British teams with injuries and changing coaches in 2024. Nader won the Oslo Dream Mile earlier this season and has finished near the front of a few other Diamond Leagues, but this was still only the second global final of his career and doesn’t have the shiny PBs of some of his competitors.
But that didn’t matter on the homestretch, when Niels Laros looked vulnerable for the first time in months, eventually fading to fifth, and Nader swung into lane three for the first time after riding the rail to power past both Cheruiyots and nip Wightman at the line by 0.02 seconds. Even though this is an event where fans often feel passionately about their favorite athlete, we can all appreciate the fact that, when the dust settled, the crazy ride was fun for everyone.
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Host: Chris Chavez | @chris_j_chavez on Instagram
Guest: Isaac Nader | @isaacnader on Instagram
Produced by: Jasmine Fehr | @jasminefehr on Instagram
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