In a 1500 meter final run at a slower pace than many anticipated, the U.S. streak of 108 years without a gold medal in the event came to an end.
Matthew Centrowitz, who finished fourth in the 1500 four years ago in London, took gold with a time of 3:50.00. Centrowitz going into the final lap, and he managed to hang on despite the best efforts of reigning Olympic champion Taoufik Makhloufi of Algeria. Makhloufi took silver with a time of 3:50.11.
Taking bronze was New Zealand’s Nicholas Williams, who at 3:50.24 beat Ayanleh Souleiman of Djibouti by five one-hundredths of a second for the final medal spot.