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Kenya’s Timothy Cheruiyot, Brian Komen and Reynold Cheruiyot are set for a challenging 1500m duel during in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France.

Cheruiyot, 28, won the world title in 2019, lifted world silver in 2017 and finished second to Ingebrigtsen in Tokyo before he set his personal best of 3:28.28 in 2021 also followed Ingebrigtsen over the line in Oslo and Monaco this year, running 3:28.71 – his fourth-fastest time – at the latter.

On the other hand, Komen took three-and-a-half seconds off his personal best to run 3:28.80 for third in Monaco.

The Kenya unit, however, will have to deal with a battle against Norwegian superstar Ingebrigtsen and Josh Kerr, who have fast become one of the sport’s great rivalries.

It’s Athletics Time!🔥We have 5️⃣ big races tomorrow.

We begin our track events with the 1500m Men at Stade de France-12.10pm EAT

Heat 1- Brian Komen
Heat 2- Timothy Cheruyoit
Heat 3- Reynold Cheruyoit#TeamKenya#HesabikaNaMabingwa pic.twitter.com/dZvyKafF75

— TeamKenya (@OlympicsKe) August 1, 2024

Ingebrigtsen is Norway’s defending Olympic 1500m champion and recently improved his own European record to 3:26.73 in Monaco while Kerr is Great Britain’s world champion who beat Ingebrigtsen the last time they clashed in the mile at the Diamond League meeting in Eugene in May.

“It’s a good fight. Some of my competitors have clearly taken a step in the right direction but not a big step – not as big of a step that may be needed to be the favourite in Paris. But I think if anything, this is going to be an exciting summer,” the Norwegian said as quoted by World Athletics.

Since losing to Kerr, Ingebrigtsen has been unbeaten as he has gone on to win the Diamond League 1500m on home soil in Oslo, European 1500m and 5000m titles in Rome, a Norwegian Championships double, and that 1500m in Monaco.

Running 3:26.73, the 23-year-old strengthened his place at number four on the world all-time list and this only points to how tough he will be for Cheruiyot and Komen.

Kerr, who is an Olympic bronze medallist, has raced just twice since his Eugene mile win; in the UK Championships 800m heats and final.

Before that 3:45.34 national record-breaking performance in Eugene that places him sixth all-time, Kerr, 26, won the world indoor 3000m title on home soil in Glasgow.

Their head-to-head record stands at 8-1 in Ingebrigtsen’s favour when it comes to 1500m finals, but since his Olympic title win in Tokyo, the Norwegian has been unable to assert dominance in the discipline on the global stage. 

If Ingebrigtsen can do it this time, a win in Paris would see him become just the second man after Sebastian Coe in 1980 and 1984 to win two Olympic 1500m titles, as per World Athletics.

US’ Yared Nuguse will also be a strong candidate, as he finished fifth in Budapest but claimed world indoor 3000m silver behind Kerr in Glasgow and ran a North American 1500m record of 3:29.02 in Oslo last year.