Nillessen's late surge wins European 1500m gold — image accompanying Athletics Weekly's report. Image accompanying Athletics Weekly’s report; reduced and presented for news commentary with the attributed report. View the complete source report.
Stefan Nillessen stunned the crowd with a late surge to win the men’s 1500m final. The European U23 champion overtook Jake Wightman and Jake Heyward in the final stretch. Nillessen's time was 3:35.70, with Samuel Pihlström taking silver and Andrew Coscoran bronze.
Nillessen expressed surprise at his victory, having expected a silver or bronze. Wightman and Heyward were disappointed, with Heyward returning to running only months prior. Meanwhile, Andreas Almgren dominated the 10,000m, setting a new championship record. Read more everyday miles coverage.
Almgren's front-running strategy paid off, breaking the previous record set in 1978. His time of 27:23.44 secured Sweden’s first European 10,000m title. Dominic Lobalu and Jimmy Gressier followed, with Gressier winning a sprint finish for third. Related: Kate O'Connor Wins European Heptathlon Title.
This original Runner World brief is based on reporting from Athletics Weekly. Visit the source for its complete reporting, context and any later corrections.
Reader questions
Questions about this report
What should runners know about Nillessen's late surge wins European 1500m gold?
Stefan Nillessen's unexpected finish secured the European 1500m title. Stefan Nillessen stunned the crowd with a late surge to win the men’s 1500m final. The European U23 champion overtook Jake Wightman and Jake Heyward in the final stretch. Nillessen's time was 3:35.70, with Samuel Pihlström taking silver and Andrew Coscoran bronze.
When did Runner World publish this everyday miles brief?
Runner World published this brief on August 15, 2026. The underlying Athletics Weekly report was dated August 15, 2026.
Where can readers find the complete original report?
This summary is based on reporting from Athletics Weekly. The attributed source link in the article leads to the publisher’s complete report.
THE WEEKLY BRIEFING
Start the week a step ahead.
A concise edit of the running stories worth knowing, sent every Monday.
