# Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Men's 1500 metres

The men's 1500 metres at the 2008 Summer Olympics took place on 15–19 August at the Beijing National Stadium. Forty-eight athletes from 30 nations competed.
The qualifying standards were 3:36.60 (A standard) and 3:39.00 (B standard).
The initial winner, Rashid Ramzi of Bahrain, tested positive for the blood-booster CERA and was disqualified on November 18, 2009. After the disqualification, the event was won by Asbel Kiprop of Kenya, the nation's fourth title in the event. It was the fourth straight Games with a Kenyan on the podium in the event; the United States (six times from 1896 to 1920) and Great Britain (four times from 1908 to 1924) were the only other nations to have accomplished that. Nicholas Willis's silver was New Zealand's first medal in the men's 1500 metres since 1976. Mehdi Baala's bronze was France's first medal in the event since 1960.

## Background

This was the 26th appearance of the event, which is one of 12 athletics events to have been held at every Summer Olympics. Five finalists from 2004 returned: silver medalist Bernard Lagat (who since immigrated from Kenya to the United States), fifth-place finisher Ivan Heshko of Ukraine, seventh-place finisher Reyes Estévez of Spain, tenth-place finisher Mulugeta Wendimu of Ethiopia, and eleventh-place finisher Kamal Boulahfane of Algeria. Rashid Ramzi of Bahrain, a semifinalist in 2004, was now the favorite, with the two men who had medalled in both 2000 and 2004 either retired (Hicham El Guerrouj) or competing but injured (Lagat).
Ecuador, Eritrea, and Serbia each made their first appearance in the event. The United States made its 25th appearance, most of all nations (having missed only the boycotted 1980 Games).

## Qualification

Each National Olympic Committee (NOC) was able to enter up to three entrants providing they had met the A qualifying standard (3:36.00) in the qualifying period (1 January 2007 to 23 July 2008). NOCs were also permitted to enter one athlete providing he had met the B standard (3:39.00) in the same qualifying period.

## Competition format

The competition was again three rounds (used previously in 1952 and since 1964). The "fastest loser" system introduced in 1964 was used for both the first round and semifinals. The 12-man semifinals and finals introduced in 1984 and used since 1992 were retained. The field was slightly larger than in past Games, expanding the number of heats from three to four.
There were four heats in the first round, each with 12 or 13 runners (before withdrawals). The top five runners in each heat, along with the next four fastest overall, advanced to the semifinals. The 24 semifinalists were divided into two semifinals, each with 12 runners. The top five men in each semifinal, plus the next two fastest overall, advanced to the 12-man final.

## Records

Prior to this competition, the existing world record, Olympic record, and world leading time were as follows:
| World record | Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR) | 3:26.00 | Rome, Italy | 14 July 1998 |
| Olympic record | Noah Ngeny (KEN) | 3:32.07 | Sydney, Australia | 29 September 2000 |
| World Leading | Daniel Komen (KEN) | 3:31.49 | Fontvieille, Monaco | 29 July 2008 |
No new world or Olympic records were set for this event. The following national records were established during the competition:
| Nation | Athlete | Round | Time |
| Estonia | Tiidrek Nurme | Heat 3 | 3:38.59 |

## Schedule

All times are China Standard Time (UTC+8)
| Date | Time | Round |
| Friday, 15 August 2008 | 19:10 | Round 1 |
| Sunday, 17 August 2008 | 21:55 | Semifinals |
| Tuesday, 19 August 2008 | 22:50 | Final |

## Results
### Round 1
#### Heat 1

| Rank | Lane | Athlete | Nation | Time | Notes |
| 1 | 7 | Mehdi Baala | France | 3:35.87 | Q |
| 2 | 2 | Nicholas Willis | New Zealand | 3:36.01 | Q |
| 3 | 9 | Daham Naim Bashir | Qatar | 3:36.05 | Q |
| 4 | 1 | Tarek Boukensa | Algeria | 3:36.11 | Q |
| 5 | 11 | Deresse Mekonnen | Ethiopia | 3:36.22 | Q |
| 6 | 4 | Leonel Manzano | United States | 3:36.67 | Q |
| 7 | 3 | Javier Carriqueo | Argentina | 3:39.36 | |
| 8 | 12 | Reyes Estevez | Spain | 3:39.62 | |
| 9 | 5 | Taylor Milne | Canada | 3:41.56 | |
| 10 | 8 | Youssef Baba | Morocco | 3:42.13 | |
| 11 | 10 | Vyacheslav Shabunin | Russia | 3:42.53 | |
| — | 6 | Juan Luis Barrios | Mexico | DNS | |

#### Heat 2

| Rank | Lane | Athlete | Nation | Time | Notes |
| 1 | 3 | Asbel Kiprop | Kenya | 3:41.28 | Q |
| 2 | 1 | Nathan Brannen | Canada | 3:41.45 | Q |
| 3 | 2 | Juan Carlos Higuero | Spain | 3:41.70 | Q |
| 4 | 5 | Bernard Lagat | United States | 3:41.98 | Q |
| 5 | 13 | Antar Zerguelaine | Algeria | 3:42.30 | Q |
| 6 | 12 | Goran Nava | Serbia | 3:42.92 | |
| 7 | 11 | Thomas Lancashire | Great Britain | 3:43.40 | |
| 8 | 8 | Alistair Cragg | Ireland | 3:44.90 | |
| 9 | 6 | Hais Welday | Eritrea | 3:45.06 | |
| 10 | 9 | Mohammed Othman Shaween | Saudi Arabia | 3:45.82 | |
| 11 | 4 | Mitchell Kealey | Australia | 3:46.31 | |
| 12 | 10 | Isiah Msibi | Swaziland | 3:51.35 | PB |
| — | 7 | Ivan Heshko | Ukraine | DNS | |

#### Heat 3

| Rank | Lane | Athlete | Nation | Time | Notes |
| 1 | 9 | Juan van Deventer | South Africa | 3:36.32 | Q |
| 2 | 5 | Arturo Casado | Spain | 3:36.42 | Q |
| 3 | 8 | Andrew Baddeley | Great Britain | 3:36.47 | Q |
| 4 | 7 | Abdalaati Iguider | Morocco | 3:36.48 | Q |
| 5 | 6 | Lopez Lomong | United States | 3:36.70 | Q |
| 6 | 12 | Belal Mansoor Ali | Bahrain | 3:36.84 | q |
| 7 | 2 | Hudson de Souza | Brazil | 3:37.06 | |
| 8 | 4 | Demma Daba | Ethiopia | 3:37.78 | |
| 9 | 11 | Tiidrek Nurme | Estonia | 3:38.59 | PB, NR |
| 10 | 1 | David Freeman | Puerto Rico | 3:39.70 | SB |
| 11 | 10 | Nicholas Kemboi | Kenya | 3:41.56 | |
| 12 | 3 | Byron Piedra | Ecuador | 3:45.57 | |
| 13 | 13 | Abdalla Abdelgadir | Sudan | 3:47.65 | |

#### Heat 4

| Rank | Lane | Athlete | Nation | Time | Notes |
| 1 | 3 | Rashid Ramzi | Bahrain | 3:32.89 | Q, DPG |
| 2 | 4 | Mohamed Moustaoui | Morocco | 3:34.80 | Q |
| 3 | 9 | Augustine Kiprono Choge | Kenya | 3:35.47 | Q |
| 4 | 6 | Christian Obrist | Italy | 3:35.91 | Q, SB |
| 5 | 5 | Kevin Sullivan | Canada | 3:36.05 | Q |
| 6 | 7 | Carsten Schlangen | Germany | 3:36.34 | q |
| 7 | 1 | Mulugeta Wendimu | Ethiopia | 3:36.67 | q |
| 8 | 2 | Kamal Thamer Ali | Qatar | 3:41.08 | |
| 9 | 10 | Mahamoud Farah | Djibouti | 3:43.62 | |
| 10 | 8 | Chauncy Master | Malawi | 3:44.96 | |
| 11 | 11 | Kamel Boulahfane | Algeria | 3:45.59 | |
| 12 | 12 | Jeffrey Riseley | Australia | 3:53.95 | |

#### Overall results for round 1

| Heat | Lane | Athlete | Country | PB | SB | Time | Notes |
| 1 | 1 | Tarek Boukensa | Algeria | 3:30.92 | 3:31.98 | 3:36.11 | Q |
| 1 | 2 | Nicholas Willis | New Zealand | 3:32.17 | 3:33.51 | 3:36.01 | Q |
| 1 | 3 | Javier Carriqueo | Argentina | 3:38.62 | 3:39.36 | 3:39.36 | |
| 1 | 4 | Leonel Manzano | United States | 3:35.29 | 3:36.67 | 3:36.67 | q |
| 1 | 5 | Taylor Milne | Canada | 3:36.00 | 3:36.00 | 3:41.56 | |
| 1 | 6 | Juan Luis Barrios | Mexico | 3:37.71 | 3:37.87 | DNS | |
| 1 | 7 | Mehdi Baala | France | 3:28.98 | 3:32.00 | 3:35.87 | Q |
| 1 | 8 | Youssef Baba | Morocco | 3:32.13 | 3:33.85 | 3:42.13 | |
| 1 | 9 | Daham Naim Bashir | Qatar | 3:31.04 | 3:34.77 | 3:36.05 | Q |
| 1 | 10 | Vyacheslav Shabunin | Russia | 3:32.28 | 3:37.99 | 3:42.53 | |
| 1 | 11 | Deresse Mekonnen | Ethiopia | 3:33.71 | 3:33.71 | 3:36.22 | Q |
| 1 | 12 | Reyes Estevez | Spain | 3:30.57 | 3:34.98 | 3:39.62 | |
| 2 | 1 | Nathan Brannen | Canada | 3:34.65 | 3:34.65 | 3:41.45 | Q |
| 2 | 2 | Juan Carlos Higuero | Spain | 3:31.57 | 3:32.57 | 3:41.70 | Q |
| 2 | 3 | Asbel Kiprop | Kenya | 3:31.64 | 3:31.64 | 3:41.28 | Q |
| 2 | 4 | Mitchell Kealey | Australia | 3:36.21 | 3:36.21 | 3:46.31 | |
| 2 | 5 | Bernard Lagat | United States | 3:26.34 | 3:35.14 | 3:41.98 | Q |
| 2 | 6 | Hais Welday | Eritrea | 3:37.25 | 3:37.25 | 3:45.06 | |
| 2 | 7 | Ivan Heshko | Ukraine | 3:30.33 | 3:43.95 | DNS | |
| 2 | 8 | Alistair Cragg | Ireland | 3:36.18 | 3:39.12 | 3:44.90 | |
| 2 | 9 | Mohammed Othman Shaween | Saudi Arabia | 3:33.90 | 3:33.90 | 3:45.82 | |
| 2 | 10 | Isiah Msibi | Swaziland | 3:51.35 | 3:51.35 | 3:51.35 | PB |
| 2 | 11 | Thomas Lancashire | Great Britain | 3:35.33 | 3:35.33 | 3:43.40 | |
| 2 | 12 | Goran Nava | Serbia | 3:38.35 | 3:38.35 | 3:42.92 | |
| 2 | 13 | Antar Zerguelaine | Algeria | 3:31.95 | 3:33.32 | 3:42.30 | Q |
| 3 | 1 | David Freeman | Puerto Rico | 3:38.90 | 3:39.70 | 3:39.70 | SB |
| 3 | 2 | Hudson de Souza | Brazil | 3:33.25 | 3:36.89 | 3:37.06 | |
| 3 | 3 | Byron Piedra | Ecuador | 3:37.88 | 3:45.17 | 3:45.57 | |
| 3 | 4 | Demma Daba | Ethiopia | 3:35.27 | 3:35.27 | 3:37.78 | |
| 3 | 5 | Arturo Casado | Spain | 3:33.14 | 3:33.14 | 3:36.42 | Q |
| 3 | 6 | Lopez Lomong | United States | 3:36.36 | 3:36.36 | 3:36.70 | Q |
| 3 | 7 | Abdalaati Iguider | Morocco | 3:31.88 | 3:31.88 | 3:36.48 | Q |
| 3 | 8 | Andrew Baddeley | Great Britain | 3:34.36 | 3:34.36 | 3:36.47 | Q |
| 3 | 9 | Juan van Deventer | South Africa | 3:34.46 | 3:34.46 | 3:36.32 | Q |
| 3 | 10 | Nicholas Kemboi | Kenya | 3:33.72 | 3:35.25 | 3:41.56 | |
| 3 | 11 | Tiidrek Nurme | Estonia | 3:38.59 | 3:38.59 | 3:38.59 | PB, NR |
| 3 | 12 | Belal Mansoor Ali | Bahrain | 3:31.49 | 3:33.12 | 3:36.84 | q |
| 3 | 13 | Abdalla Abdelgadir | Sudan | 3:38.93 | 3:38.93 | 3:47.65 | |
| 4 | 1 | Mulugeta Wendimu | Ethiopia | 3:31.13 | 3:34.67 | 3:36.67 | q |
| 4 | 2 | Kamal Thamer Ali | Qatar | 3:35.56 | 3:35.56 | 3:41.08 | |
| 4 | 3 | Rashid Ramzi | Bahrain | 3:29.14 | 3:32.89 | 3:32.89 | Q, DPG |
| 4 | 4 | Mohamed Moustaoui | Morocco | 3:32.06 | 3:32.06 | 3:34.80 | Q |
| 4 | 5 | Kevin Sullivan | Canada | 3:31.71 | 3:35.78 | 3:36.05 | Q |
| 4 | 6 | Christian Obrist | Italy | 3:35.32 | 3:35.91 | 3:35.91 | Q, SB |
| 4 | 7 | Carsten Schlangen | Germany | 3:34.99 | 3:34.99 | 3:36.34 | q |
| 4 | 8 | Chauncy Master | Malawi | 3:42.73 | 3:42.73 | 3:44.96 | |
| 4 | 9 | Augustine Kiprono Choge | Kenya | 3:31.57 | 3:31.57 | 3:35.47 | Q |
| 4 | 10 | Mahamoud Farah | Djibouti | 3:39.29 | 3:39.29 | 3:43.62 | |
| 4 | 11 | Kamel Boulahfane | Algeria | 3:32.44 | 3:33.33 | 3:45.59 | |
| 4 | 12 | Jeffrey Riseley | Australia | 3:36.03 | 3:36.03 | 3:53.95 | |

### Semifinals

Qual. rule: first 5 of each heat (Q) plus the 2 fastest times (q) qualified.

#### Semifinal 1

The first semifinal was held on 17 August 2008 at 21:55.
| Rank | Athlete | Nation | Time | Notes |
| 1 | Asbel Kiprop | Kenya | 3:37.04 | Q |
| 2 | Abdalaati Iguider | Morocco | 3:37.21 | Q |
| 3 | Juan Carlos Higuero | Spain | 3:37.31 | Q |
| 4 | Christian Obrist | Italy | 3:37.47 | Q |
| 5 | Belal Mansoor Ali | Bahrain | 3:37.60 | Q |
| 6 | Juan van Deventer | South Africa | 3:37.75 | q |
| 7 | Daham Najim Bashir | Qatar | 3:37.77 | q |
| 8 | Carsten Schlangen | Germany | 3:37.94 | |
| 9 | Nathan Brannen | Canada | 3:39.10 | |
| 10 | Mulugeta Wendimu | Ethiopia | 3:40.16 | |
| 11 | Antar Zerguelaine | Algeria | 3:40.64 | |
| 12 | Lopez Lomong | United States | 3:41.00 | |

#### Semifinal 2

The second semifinal was held on 17 August 2008 at 22:04.
| Rank | Athlete | Nation | Time | Notes |
| 1 | Rashid Ramzi | Bahrain | 3:37.11 | Q, DPG |
| 2 | Mehdi Baala | France | 3:37.47 | Q |
| 3 | Andrew Baddeley | Great Britain | 3:37.47 | Q |
| 4 | Augustine Kiprono Choge | Kenya | 3:37.54 | Q |
| 5 | Nicholas Willis | New Zealand | 3:37.54 | Q |
| 6 | Bernard Lagat | United States | 3:37.79 | |
| 7 | Deresse Mekonnen | Ethiopia | 3:37.85 | |
| 8 | Tarek Boukensa | Algeria | 3:39.73 | |
| 9 | Kevin Sullivan | Canada | 3:40.30 | |
| 10 | Mohamed Moustaoui | Morocco | 3:40.90 | |
| 11 | Arturo Casado | Spain | 3:41.57 | |
| 12 | Leonel Manzano | United States | 3:50.33 | |

### Final

The final was held on 19 August 2008 at 22:50.
| Rank | Athlete | Nation | Time | Notes |
| | Asbel Kiprop | Kenya | 3:33.11 | |
| | Nicholas Willis | New Zealand | 3:34.16 | |
| | Mehdi Baala | France | 3:34.21 | |
| 4 | Juan Carlos Higuero | Spain | 3:34.44 | |
| 5 | Abdalaati Iguider | Morocco | 3:34.66 | |
| 6 | Juan van Deventer | South Africa | 3:34.77 | |
| 7 | Belal Mansoor Ali | Bahrain | 3:35.23 | |
| 8 | Andrew Baddeley | Great Britain | 3:35.37 | |
| 9 | Augustine Kiprono Choge | Kenya | 3:35.50 | |
| 10 | Daham Najim Bashir | Qatar | 3:37.68 | |
| 11 | Christian Obrist | Italy | 3:39.87 | |
| DQ | Rashid Ramzi | Bahrain | 3:32.94 | DPG |

#### Splits

| Intermediate | Athlete | Nation | Mark |
| 400 m | Asbel Kiprop | Kenya | 56.48 |
| 800 m | Augustine Kiprono Choge | Kenya | 1:56.06 |
| 1200 m | Augustine Kiprono Choge | Kenya | 2:53.67 |