| | Event type
1,500 metres, Women
| Date | 12 – 16 August 2016 |
|---|---|
| Status | Olympic |
| Location | Estádio Olímpico João Havelange, Engenho de Dentro, Rio de Janeiro |
| Participants | 41 from 24 countries |
The two favorites were Kenya’s Genzebe Dibaba and Faith Kipyegon. They did nothing to dispel that status when they both won their semi-finals. Americans Jenny Simpson and Shannon Rowbury were both considered to have shots at medals. Laura Weightman led the final through 400 metres in a walking pace of 76.57, with the Americans close on her heels. Dibaba moved to the lead at 800 metres, passed in 2:27.11, still very slow. She then put it in another gear, running the third 400 in 56.7, with only Kipyegon and Britain’s Laura Muir on her shoulder. Kipyegon took the lead with 200 left, and simply moved ahead, winning by over 10 metres in 4:08.92, the second-slowest Olympic winning time ever. Dibaba was struggling on the straight, but held on to win silver. Simpson had been sixth at the bell but started to move forward with 250 remaining, and gradually picked off runners to move up to bronze. Rowbury had been eighth at the bell and ran the same sort of pace, finishing just behind her teammate.
| Pos | Nr | Athlete | NOC | R1 | SF | Final | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 950 | Faith Kipyegon |  KEN | 4:06.65 (2 h2) | 4:03.95 (1 h1) | 4:08.92 (1) | Gold | ||
| 2 | 643 | Genzebe Dibaba |  ETH | 4:10.61 (1 h1) | 4:03.06 (1 h2) | 4:10.27 (2) | Silver | ||
| 3 | 1372 | Jenny Simpson |  USA | 4:06.99 (4 h2) | 4:05.07 (4 h2) | 4:10.53 (3) | Bronze | ||
| 4 | 1370 | Shannon Rowbury | USA | 4:06.47 (2 h3) | 4:04.46 (3 h1) | 4:11.05 (4) | |||
| 5 | 1032 | Sifan Hassan |  NED | 4:06.64 (1 h2) | 4:03.62 (2 h2) | 4:11.23 (5) | |||
| 6 | 1222 | Meraf Bahta |  SWE | 4:06.82 (5 h3) | 4:06.41 (5 h2) | 4:12.59 (6) | |||
| 7 | 710 | Laura Muir |  GBR | 4:06.53 (3 h3) | 4:04.16 (3 h2) | 4:12.88 (7) | |||
| 8 | 648 | Dawit Seyaum | ETH | 4:05.33 (1 h3) | 4:04.23 (2 h1) | 4:13.14 (8) | |||
| 9 | 647 | Besu Sado | ETH | 4:08.11 (6 h2) | 4:05.19 (4 h1) | 4:13.58 (9) | |||
| 10 | 1095 | Sofia Ennaoui |  POL | 4:06.90 (3 h2) | 4:05.29 (6 h1) | 4:14.72 (10) | |||
| 11 | 728 | Laura Weightman | GBR | 4:08.37 (7 h2) | 4:05.28 (5 h1) | 4:14.95 (11) | |||
| 12 | 993 | Rababe Arafi |  MAR | 4:06.63 (4 h3) | 4:05.60 (7 h1) | 4:15.16 (12) | |||
| 6 h2 r2/3 | 951 | Viola Lagat | KEN | 4:08.09 (8 h3) | 4:06.83 (6 h2) | – | |||
| 7 h2 r2/3 | 491 | Nicole Sifuentes |  CAN | 4:07.43 (7 h3) | 4:08.53 (7 h2) | – | |||
| 8 h1 r2/3 | 324 | Linden Hall |  AUS | 4:11.75 (4 h1) | 4:05.81 (8 h1) | – | |||
| 8 h2 r2/3 | 992 | Malika Akkaoui | MAR | 4:07.42 (5 h2) | 4:08.55 (8 h2) | – | |||
| 9 h1 r2/3 | 322 | Zoe Buckman | AUS | 4:06.93 (6 h3) | 4:06.95 (9 h1) | – | |||
| 9 h2 r2/3 | 783 | Diana Sujew |  GER | 4:09.07 (10 h3) | 4:10.15 (9 h2) | – | |||
| 10 h1 r2/3 | 757 | Konstanze Klosterhalfen | GER | 4:11.76 (6 h1) | 4:07.26 (10 h1) | – | |||
| 10 h2 r2/3 | 1119 | Danuta Urbanik | POL | 4:08.67 (9 h3) | 4:11.34 (10 h2) | – | |||
| 11 h1 r2/3 | 844 | Ciara Mageean |  IRL | 4:11.51 (2 h1) | 4:08.07 (11 h1) | – | |||
| 11 h2 r2/3 | 318 | Jenny Blundell | AUS | 4:09.05 (8 h2) | 4:13.25 (11 h2) | – | |||
| 12 h1 r2/3 | 1355 | Brenda Martinez | USA | 4:11.74 (3 h1) | 4:10.41 (12 h1) | – | |||
| 12 h2 r2/3 | 1093 | Angelika Cichocka | POL | 4:11.76 (5 h1) | 4:17.83 (12 h2) | – | |||
| 7 h1 r1/3 | 494 | Hilary Stellingwerff | CAN | 4:12.00 (7 h1) | – | – | |||
| 8 h1 r1/3 | 1035 | Maureen Koster | NED | 4:13.15 (8 h1) | – | – | |||
| 9 h1 r1/3 | 996 | Siham Hilali | MAR | 4:13.46 (9 h1) | – | – | |||
| 9 h2 r1/3 | 492 | Gabriela Stafford | CAN | 4:09.45 (9 h2) | – | – | |||
| 10 h1 r1/3 | 1195 | Amela Terzić |  SRB | 4:15.17 (10 h1) | – | – | |||
| 10 h2 r1/3 | 548 | Muriel Coneo |  COL | 4:09.50 (10 h2) | – | – | |||
| 11 h1 r1/3 | 944 | Nancy Chepkwemoi | KEN | 4:15.41 (11 h1) | – | – | |||
| 11 h2 r1/3 | 448 | Tigist Gashaw |  BRN | 4:10.96 (11 h2) | – | – | |||
| 11 h3 r1/3 | 867 | Margherita Magnani |  ITA | 4:09.74 (11 h3) | – | – | |||
| 12 h1 r1/3 | 1133 | Marta Pen Freitas |  POR | 4:18.53 (12 h1) | – | – | |||
| 12 h2 r1/3 | 1158 | Florina Pierdevară |  ROU | 4:11.55 (12 h2) | – | – | |||
| 12 h3 r1/3 | 605 | Kadra Mohamed |  DJI | 4:42.67 (12 h3) | – | – | |||
| 13 h1 r1/3 | 1049 | Saraswati Bhattarai |  NEP | 4:33.94 (13 h1) | – | – | |||
| 13 h2 r1/3 | 1075 | Nikki Hamblin |  NZL | 4:11.88 (13 h2) | – | – | |||
| 13 h3 r1/3 | 1241 | Nelia Martins |  TLS | 5:00.53 (13 h3) | – | – | |||
| 14 h1 r1/3 | 1199 | Celma Bonfim |  STP | 4:38.86 (14 h1) | – | – | |||
| 14 h2 r1/3 | 1147 | Anjelina Nadai Lohalith |  EOR | 4:47.38 (14 h2) | – | – | |||
| 1266 | Betlhem Desalegn Belayneh |  UAE | – (DNS h3) | – | – | DQ | 1 |
Round One (12 August 2016)
Top six in each heat and next six fastest advanced to the semi-finals.
Heat One (20:30)
| Pos | Nr | Athlete | NOC | Time (A) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 | Genzebe Dibaba | ETH | 4:10.61 | |||
| 2 | 13 | Ciara Mageean | IRL | 4:11.51 | |||
| 3 | 14 | Brenda Martinez | USA | 4:11.74 | |||
| 4 | 6 | Linden Hall | AUS | 4:11.75 | |||
| 5 | 5 | Angelika Cichocka | POL | 4:11.76 | |||
| 6 | 10 | Konstanze Klosterhalfen | GER | 4:11.76 | |||
| 7 | 9 | Hilary Stellingwerff | CAN | 4:12.00 | |||
| 8 | 8 | Maureen Koster | NED | 4:13.15 | |||
| 9 | 11 | Siham Hilali | MAR | 4:13.46 | |||
| 10 | 1 | Amela Terzić | SRB | 4:15.17 | |||
| 11 | 4 | Nancy Chepkwemoi | KEN | 4:15.41 | |||
| 12 | 3 | Marta Pen Freitas | POR | 4:18.53 | |||
| 13 | 7 | Saraswati Bhattarai | NEP | 4:33.94 | |||
| 14 | 2 | Celma Bonfim | STP | 4:38.86 |
Splits
| 400 m | 1:12.77 | Nancy Chepkwemoi | |
| 800 m | 2:21.20 | Konstanze Klosterhalfen | |
| 1200 m | 3:24.93 | Genzebe Dibaba | |
Heat Two (20:41)
| Pos | Nr | Athlete | NOC | Time (A) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | Sifan Hassan | NED | 4:06.64 | |||
| 2 | 10 | Faith Kipyegon | KEN | 4:06.65 | |||
| 3 | 2 | Sofia Ennaoui | POL | 4:06.90 | |||
| 4 | 12 | Jenny Simpson | USA | 4:06.99 | |||
| 5 | 1 | Malika Akkaoui | MAR | 4:07.42 | |||
| 6 | 13 | Besu Sado | ETH | 4:08.11 | |||
| 7 | 5 | Laura Weightman | GBR | 4:08.37 | |||
| 8 | 14 | Jenny Blundell | AUS | 4:09.05 | |||
| 9 | 4 | Gabriela Stafford | CAN | 4:09.45 | |||
| 10 | 9 | Muriel Coneo | COL | 4:09.50 | |||
| 11 | 7 | Tigist Gashaw | BRN | 4:10.96 | |||
| 12 | 11 | Florina Pierdevară | ROU | 4:11.55 | |||
| 13 | 6 | Nikki Hamblin | NZL | 4:11.88 | |||
| 14 | 3 | Anjelina Nadai Lohalith | EOR | 4:47.38 |
Splits
| 400 m | 1:06.54 | Muriel Coneo | |
| 800 m | 2:15.11 | Faith Kipyegon | |
| 1200 m | 3:21.80 | Faith Kipyegon | |
Heat Three (20:52)
| Pos | Nr | Athlete | NOC | Time (A) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Dawit Seyaum | ETH | 4:05.33 | |||
| 2 | 9 | Shannon Rowbury | USA | 4:06.47 | |||
| 3 | 6 | Laura Muir | GBR | 4:06.53 | |||
| 4 | 13 | Rababe Arafi | MAR | 4:06.63 | |||
| 5 | 4 | Meraf Bahta | SWE | 4:06.82 | |||
| 6 | 5 | Zoe Buckman | AUS | 4:06.93 | |||
| 7 | 2 | Nicole Sifuentes | CAN | 4:07.43 | |||
| 8 | 3 | Viola Lagat | KEN | 4:08.09 | |||
| 9 | 7 | Danuta Urbanik | POL | 4:08.67 | |||
| 10 | 10 | Diana Sujew | GER | 4:09.07 | |||
| 11 | 12 | Margherita Magnani | ITA | 4:09.74 | |||
| 12 | 8 | Kadra Mohamed | DJI | 4:42.67 | |||
| 13 | 14 | Nelia Martins | TLS | 5:00.53 | |||
| 1266 | Betlhem Desalegn Belayneh | UAE | – | DQ | 2 |
Splits
| 400 m | 1:06.23 | Nicole Sifuentes | |
| 800 m | 2:14.17 | Nicole Sifuentes | |
| 1200 m | 3:20.76 | Nicole Sifuentes | |
Semi-Finals (14 August 2016)
Top five in each heat and next two fastest advanced to the final.
Heat One (21:30)
| Pos | Nr | Athlete | NOC | Time (A) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 | Faith Kipyegon | KEN | 4:03.95 | |||
| 2 | 1 | Dawit Seyaum | ETH | 4:04.23 | |||
| 3 | 7 | Shannon Rowbury | USA | 4:04.46 | |||
| 4 | 11 | Besu Sado | ETH | 4:05.19 | |||
| 5 | 5 | Laura Weightman | GBR | 4:05.28 | |||
| 6 | 10 | Sofia Ennaoui | POL | 4:05.29 | |||
| 7 | 4 | Rababe Arafi | MAR | 4:05.60 | |||
| 8 | 6 | Linden Hall | AUS | 4:05.81 | |||
| 9 | 2 | Zoe Buckman | AUS | 4:06.95 | |||
| 10 | 8 | Konstanze Klosterhalfen | GER | 4:07.26 | |||
| 11 | 3 | Ciara Mageean | IRL | 4:08.07 | |||
| 12 | 9 | Brenda Martinez | USA | 4:10.41 |
Splits
| 400 m | 1:09.88 | Laura Weightman | |
| 800 m | 2:15.65 | Laura Weightman | |
| 1200 m | 3:19.03 | Faith Kipyegon | |
Heat Two (21:41)
| Pos | Nr | Athlete | NOC | Time (A) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 | Genzebe Dibaba | ETH | 4:03.06 | |||
| 2 | 8 | Sifan Hassan | NED | 4:03.62 | |||
| 3 | 3 | Laura Muir | GBR | 4:04.16 | |||
| 4 | 2 | Jenny Simpson | USA | 4:05.07 | |||
| 5 | 6 | Meraf Bahta | SWE | 4:06.41 | |||
| 6 | 5 | Viola Lagat | KEN | 4:06.83 | |||
| 7 | 10 | Nicole Sifuentes | CAN | 4:08.53 | |||
| 8 | 11 | Malika Akkaoui | MAR | 4:08.55 | |||
| 9 | 1 | Diana Sujew | GER | 4:10.15 | |||
| 10 | 4 | Danuta Urbanik | POL | 4:11.34 | |||
| 11 | 7 | Jenny Blundell | AUS | 4:13.25 | |||
| 12 | 9 | Angelika Cichocka | POL | 4:17.83 |
Splits
| 400 m | 1:08.27 | Jenny Barringer-Simpson | |
| 800 m | 2:17.11 | Jenny Barringer-Simpson | |
| 1200 m | 3:19.30 | Genzebe Dibaba | |
Final (16 August 2016 — 22:30)
| Pos | Nr | Athlete | NOC | Time (A) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | Faith Kipyegon | KEN | 4:08.92 | |||
| 2 | 4 | Genzebe Dibaba | ETH | 4:10.27 | |||
| 3 | 9 | Jenny Simpson | USA | 4:10.53 | |||
| 4 | 2 | Shannon Rowbury | USA | 4:11.05 | |||
| 5 | 5 | Sifan Hassan | NED | 4:11.23 | |||
| 6 | 7 | Meraf Bahta | SWE | 4:12.59 | |||
| 7 | 12 | Laura Muir | GBR | 4:12.88 | |||
| 8 | 1 | Dawit Seyaum | ETH | 4:13.14 | |||
| 9 | 11 | Besu Sado | ETH | 4:13.58 | |||
| 10 | 3 | Sofia Ennaoui | POL | 4:14.72 | |||
| 11 | 6 | Laura Weightman | GBR | 4:14.95 | |||
| 12 | 10 | Rababe Arafi | MAR | 4:15.16 |
Splits
| 400 m | 1:16.57 | Laura Weightman | |
| 800 m | 2:27.11 | Genzebe Dibaba | |
| 1200 m | 3:23.90 | Genzebe Dibaba | |