In a stunning women's 1500m final, Kenya's Faith Kipyegon upset world record-holder Genzebe Dibaba to claim gold at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Jenny Simpson followed for bronze to claim the first Olympic medal for an American woman in the 1500m.



Kipyegon broke the world record-holder by outlasting her in a fatal mid-race 56-second surge for a 4:08.92 victory. Dibaba followed for second in 4:10.27. Meanwhile, Simpson fought her way to third over fellow American Shannon Rowbury. Simpson closed in 4:10.53, Rowbury followed in 4:11.05 and Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands closed for fifth in 4:11.23.

Simpson's kick for third included a 1:59.0 final 800m split. Amazingly, she has never broken two minutes in an open 800m race.

"Jenny ran exactly as she planned," Simpson's long time coach Mark Wetmore told CUBuffs.com.

"She just wanted to think like a predator. She ran the final 800 faster than any 800 race of her career. Heather and I are thoroughly proud to work with these two women [Simpson and Emma Coburn who earned bronze in the steeplechase]."

The performance marked Simpson's third Olympic Games and her first Olympic medal of her career. She finished ninth in the steeplechase in 2008 and advanced to the semifinals of the 1500m in 2012. She won the 2011 world championships and earned silver at the 2013 world championships in the 1500m.

Kipyegon's performance built upon a year that included a 3:56 Kenyan national record and world leading mark. The 22-year-old earned silver to Dibaba at last year's world championships, making this Olympic performance an act of redemption.

After breaking the world record last year, Dibaba hasn't raced nearly as frequently in 2016 due to ongoing injury. She notched the mile world record in Feb. but has since only raced six times, including the three rounds of the Olympics. Dibaba's coach Jama Aden was recently caught in a hotel drug bust in Spain and is currently under investigation.

From the gun, the race was a tactical battle.

Rowbury took the lead and brought the field into the first 200m in a pedestrian 38-seconds.

The lead switched periodically as competitors maintained the slow pace into the 400m which they crossed in 76-seconds, and eventually the 800m which was hit in 2:27 -- just over five-minute mile pace.

As soon as the field rounded the finish line with two laps remaining, the defending world champion made a jump to the front, injecting an increase in pace. Kipyegon, Great Britain's Laura Muir, and half of the field bravely countered the move. It was a move that brought the field into a shockingly fast 56-second quarter split.

Half of the field responded to the tactic, but it would be a fatal mistake as most of the competitors weren't able to maintain in the closing lap.

Simpson, however, was able to respond and fought her way from fifth-place at 300m remaining to third place rounding the final turn. She clawed her way past Hassan, Muir, and Meraf Bahta to finish third and make history as the first American woman to medal in the 1500m.

OH MY GOSH! So so so proud of you @trackjenny!!! You ran that which such poise. So smart. BRONZE MEDAL!!!!

— emma coburn (@emmajcoburn) August 17, 2016

Just a few meters ahead of Simpson, Kipyegon had broken Dibaba and claimed the victory with two seconds to spare over the defending world champion.