Paris 2024 athletics: USA's Cole Hocker storms to shock men's 1500m gold in new Olympic record: "It's unbelievable"
It was meant to be a showdown between rivals Josh Kerr of Great Britain and Norway's Jakob Ingebrigtsen.
Cole Hocker had other ideas.
The American claimed a sensational surprise gold in the men's 1500m, beating the pre-race favourites in a shocking final 200 metres to cross the line in a new Olympic record time of 3:27.65 and marked a second win for Team USA in the last three Olympic Games, with Matthew Centrowitz winning at Rio 2016.
While the Briton Kerr held on for Paris 2024 silver in a personal best time of 3:27.79, the reigning Olympic champion Ingebrigtsen faded over the final metres, finishing in a hard-to-believe fourth place.
It was another American, Yared Nuguse, who claimed bronze in 3:27.80.
It's the first time in the modern Games that the US has seen two men podium in the 1500m.
"It’s an unbelievable feeling," a breathless Hocker said after. "I just felt like I was getting carried by the stadium and God. My body just kind of did it for me. My mind was all there and I saw that finish line."
"Winning gold was my goal this entire year," he added. "I wrote that down and I repeated it to myself even if I didn’t believe it."
Men's 1500m final: Cole Hocker trusts his final kick for gold
The race was a thrill from the start, with Stade de France roaring as the gun went off. Ingebrigsten opted to go out in front, a lead he would hold for every 100 metre marker up to the final bend, though Kerr, Hocker and Nuguse remaind just a whisper behind.
It was there that Hocker made his move, the 23-year-old from Indianapolis, finding space on the inside of the track. The world silver medallist indoors in Glasgow in early March, Hocker is known in American circles for his kick.
And it worked - on the Olympic stage.
Having been sixth at Tokyo 2020, Hocker reveled in the role of spoiler, throwing his arms aloft as he crossed the finish line, disbelief splashed across his face.
Kerr, sunglasses tightly on as usual, could barely believe it.
"I obviously wanted the Olympic gold medal. I got a silver. It’s better than bronze," he told Eurosport. "You know I executed today the best 1500m race I’ve ever done in my life on the biggest stage by over a second.
"It’s difficult to control what anyone else does in these situations but I controlled myself, I positioned myself well. I got beat by the better man on the day and I have to walk away from these championships with my head held high."
For Ingebrigsten, it marked the first major international podium he has missed since the World Championships in 2019, when he was fifth.
But Hocker said having the spotlight focused elsewhere was actually a help for his eventual win: "I kind of told myself that I’m in this race too," he explained. "If they let me fly under the radar, then so be it. I think that might’ve just been for the best."
"My performances showed me that I was capable of running 3:27, whatever it took," Hocker continued. "I knew I was a medal contender, and I knew that if I get it right, it would be a gold medal. I’ve been saying that."
And a gold medal he got.
Jakob Ingebrigtsen: I went out too aggressive
While Ingebrigtsen took that early lead and sustained it, he said he went out too fast, and didn't know how to alter the pace of the race before it was too late - literally.
"I opened with a 54-second lap [and] that wasn’t the plan at all," he said. "It was at least two seconds too fast. I was thinking about slowing down, but the next lap was almost the same speed. I ruined it for myself by going way too hard."
“I felt really strong and I have had a good progression with races this year. I didn’t realise what pace it actually was. It was not the plan to open that hard.”
Paris 2024 athletics: Men’s 1500m podium
Gold: Cole Hocker (USA)
Silver: Josh Kerr (GBR)
Bronze: Yared Nuguse (USA)