America’s Robert Finke secured the Olympic distance double Sunday by winning the men’s 1500m gold medal to go with his 800m title.
The 21-year-old delivered a devastating final 50m to pull clear of a tight field in a race that was neck-and-neck from the off.
Finke touched first in 14mins 39.65secs ahead of Ukrainian Mykhailo Romanchuk (14:40.66) and Germany’s Florian Wellbrock (14.40.91).
Gregorio Paltrinieri would ordinarily have been favourite as defending champion and second fastest ever behind China’s banned Sun Yang.
But the Italian was struck down with glandular fever in June, hampering his built-up, and he could only finish fourth.
mp/th
© Agence France-Presse
