Team USA's Matthew Centrowitz misses out on final, will not defend 1500 meter crown

(TOKYO) — Team USA’s Matthew Centrowitz, the defending Olympic champion in the men’s 1500, will not repeat after failing to make it out of the semifinal round in Tokyo. 

Centrowitz became the first American to win the men’s 1500 since 1908 during the 2016 Rio games. He won in 3:50.00, the slowest 1500 meter final since 1932. 

Centrowitz finished ninth, 3:33.69, in a blistering fast second semifinal, which saw the Olympic 1500 meter record fall with Kenya’s Abel Kipsang taking the win in 3:31.65. 

Team USA’s Cole Hocker made the final after finished second in the first semifinal with a time of 3:33.87. 

Hocker edged out Centrowitz to win the USA trials. 

The final will be at 7:40 am ET on Saturday.

Finalists

1. Kenya’s Abel Kipsang: 3:31.65 
2. Norway’s Jacob Ingrebristen: 3:32.13 
3. Great Britan’s Josh Kerr: 3:32.18 
4. Spain’s Adel Mechall: 3:32.19
5. Australia’s Stewart McSweyrn: 3:32.54
6. Great Britain’s Jake Heyward: 3:32.82
7. Luxembourg’s Charles Grethen: 3:32.86
8. Great Britain’s Jake Wightman: 3:33.48
9. Team USA’s Cole Hocker: 3:33.87
10. Kenya’s Timothy Cheruiyot: 3:33.95 
11. Australia’s Oliver Hoare: 3:34.35
12. Spain’s Ignacio Fontes: 3:34.49
13. Poland’s Michael Rozmy: 3:54.53* Advanced To Next Round By Referee

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