This archive report was first published on 2 October 2019.
On Wednesday, October 2, 2019, defending champion Hellen Obiri led her Kenyan compatriots Margaret Chelimo and Lillian Kasait into the semi-finals of the women's 1500m at the World Championships.
Obiri, who had a change of heart and decided to compete in the 5000m race after initially saying she wouldn't, won Heat one with a time of 14:52.13. American Karissa Schweizer came in second with a time of 14:52.41, while Ethiopia's Hawi Feysa finished third in 14:53.85.
Obiri attributed her success to a change in strategy, saying, "I changed my strategy and ran a quick race from the front."
Chelimo and Kasait also performed well, with Chelimo finishing second in the second heat and Kasait coming in fourth. The top five athletes from the heats qualified for the final, alongside the next fastest five from the heats.
The final of the women's 1500m will be held on Saturday.
