American Cole Hocker rallies late, stuns favourites to win men's 1,500m gold medal

American Cole Hocker delivered one of the all-time Olympic shocks when he won the 1,500-metres gold with a stunning finish to blast past British world champion Josh Kerr as defending champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen faded to fourth on Tuesday.

Once Kerr had eased past the Norwegian on the final straight it seemed the Briton was on course to add gold to the bronze he took in Tokyo but he did not reckon with Hocker, who found a path up the inside to take one of the most unexpected golds in the history of the storied event.

His winning time of three minutes 27.65 was an Olympic record and a massive personal best by more than three seconds. Kerr posted a national record 3:27.79 and Yared Nuguse took bronze for the U.S. in another huge pb of 3:27.80.

"I am just so proud of myself to find a way to win," Hocker told the BBC. "I put myself in the position and my body took me over the line."

WATCH | Hocker pulls off stunning upset in men's 1,500m final:

The time catapulted Hocker to be the seventh-fastest man in history and Kerr the eighth, and even if the hi-tech shoes and track make historical time comparisons difficult, it was still a gripping race.

World athletics chief Sebastian Coe, still the only double 1,500m Olympic champion, said last week he was expecting a "race for the ages" and, if it was not the outcome he expected, he certainly got one, as seven of the first nine finalists set personal bests.

The race had been billed as a showdown between Ingebrigtsen and Kerr, who have been swapping barbs for a year, and the Norwegian set a scorching pace from the start to lead coming into the last 200.

Briton Kerr, just as he did in last year's world championships, surged past him as they hit the final straight, however, and