Timothy Cheruiyot's message after a lackluster performance at the Olympics

Kenya's hope for bagging more medals in the men's 1500m was met with a rude awakening after two of Kenya's representatives in the race managed to grab only the last and second-to-last positions.

Timothy Cheruiyot, the 2020 Tokyo 1500m silver medallist, had a hard time as he managed to clock 3 minutes 31 seconds at the finish of the race, placing him 11th with a difference of 5 seconds from the winner, Cole Hocker, who won the race by clocking 3 minutes 27 seconds.

Cheruiyot, disappointed by what fate had in store for him, took to social media and acknowledged the winners of the race by congratulating their efforts. He noted, however, that he had put in good work to win the race but that the challengers seemed to be better.

He said that racing for champions made for some amazing moments and asked to be believed because he had experienced them. He acknowledged that it also came with risks. He mentioned that he committed himself early, planned to stick with the fast pace, and believed he would come through strong when it mattered. He added that the final 250 meters were tough.

"A winning mindset is what I have. And for my competitors in the front with the medals, that mindset is no different. So to Cole Hocker, Josh Kerr, and Yared Nuguse, congratulations!" the statement said.

Timothy also expressed his gratitude to his support team and fans in Kenya and abroad, encouraging them to remember that they are human. He also promised to keep improving in the future.

"To my support team at home and abroad, you know who you are. I'm so grateful. To Kenyans, I say thank you for your support. Remember we are human too, and I will always endeavour to keep on improving. I’ll have that chance soon as I prepare for my next Diamond League races," he concluded.

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— Timothy Cheruiyot (@tim_cheruiyot) August 7, 2024

The men's 1500 meters final started first, with athletes taking to the track at 9:50 p.m. on August 6, 2024. The race registered a maximum of 12 athletes, and the winners were Cole Hocker, who claimed the gold medal; Josh Kerr, who took home the silver medal; and Yared Nuguse, who claimed the bronze medal.