African champion Brian Komen has attributed his dismal show in the 1500m final on Tuesday at the Paris Olympic Games to the flu he contracted during the preliminary round.
During the finals of the 1,500m event on Tuesday night at the Stade de France, Komen placed last in 3:35.59 with compatriot Timothy Cheruiyot (3:31.35) finishing just ahead of him.
American Cole Hocker produced a surprise victory in the event, clinching the title in an Olympic record time of 3:27.65 with Britain’s Josh Kerr (3:27.79) and another American Yared Nuguse (3:27.80) sealing the podium spots.
Komen stated that he had been battling the flu, contracted earlier in the heats, which significantly impacted his race.
“I contracted the flu during the Round One races. I was, however, able to run well through the heats into the semifinals and secure a slot in the finals,” Komen shared.
Komen placed second in Heat One last Friday after clocking 3:36.31 to book a slot in the semis. He went on to finish fourth in the first semifinal with a time of 3:32.57 to book a spot in the final.
“However in the final, the flu took a toll on me. My chest felt tight, but I’m grateful to have made it to an Olympic final. Sometimes, things just don’t go your way,” he added.
Despite the setback, Komen expressed pride in making his Olympic debut and securing a spot in the final.
“This was my first time featuring in the Olympics. I am happy I was able to represent my country in Paris. There are a lot of athletes who missed out on chances to represent the nation," he noted.
Komen’s attention shifts to recovery and upcoming races. “I’ve returned early to recover because there are a lot of races before the year ends. There are some Diamond League races coming up and I am looking to feature in them,” he noted
Komen is already eyeing next year’s World Championships in Tokyo, Japan and wants to use the Diamond League circuit to fine-tune his preparations.
“There is also the 2025 World Championships which I am hoping to be a part of. I will use the Diamond meetings to build myself up for the championships,” he stated.
The men’s 1,500m qualifying mark for the Tokyo Games is set at 3:33.00 with the qualification period slated for August 1 to August 24, 2025.
