By Nick Mulvenney
TOKYO (Reuters) -Cole Hocker timed his run to the line to perfection to win a tactical 5,000m at the world championships and claim his first world title on Sunday, six days after he was disqualified from the 1,500 metres.
The 24-year-old American, who is Olympic champion at 1,500m, crossed the line in 12 minutes 58.30 seconds to make amends for being disqualified from the shorter race for barging through his rivals at the finish of his semi-final.
Belgian Isaac Kimeli took silver in
12:58.78, and Frenchman Jimmy Gressier claimed bronze to add to his stunning gold in the 10,000m in Tokyo.
Even if Kimeli was born in Kenya, it was the first time since the inaugural world championships in 1993 that there were no medallists representing African nations in the event.
Norway's double defending champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen, who has been struggling with an Achilles injury and barely qualified for the final, briefly led but finished 10th in 13:02.00.
The race started in cool conditions at the National Stadium and the initial pace was fast with Hocker's compatriots Nico Young and Grant Fisher settling in at the front with Ethiopia's Hagos Gebrhiwet tucked in behind.
Olympic champion Ingebrigtsen hit the front three laps from home but was overhauled on the final lap and the race looked almost anyone's coming round the last bend.
Kimeli headed the leading bunch coming into the final straight but Hocker steamed past him over the last 40 metres to take the gold.
Gebrhiwet finished 13th and his compatriot Biniam Mehary fifth behind Australian Ky Robinson, leaving powerhouse Ethiopia without a distance running title at the championships.
(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney, Editing by Ed Osmond)
