By Brian Homewood
DOHA (Reuters) - Kenyan Timothy Cheruiyot outclassed a field including two Olympic champions as he led from the front to win the men's 1500 meters at the world championships on Sunday.
The 23-year-old, silver medalist two years ago, had a huge lead at the bell and never looked in danger over the final lap as he strode home in three minutes 29.26 seconds, more than two seconds clear, to claim Kenya's fifth straight win in the event.
Algeria's Taoufik Makhloufi, the 2012 Olympic champion, led the pack and took silver in 3:31.38, delighting a noisy, flag-waving contingent of fans from the North African country on the first bend. Marcin Lewandowski set a Polish record as he claimed bronze.
With Elijah Manangoi unable to defend his title after injuring an ankle in training, fellow Kenyan Cheruiyot was left as the clear favorite thanks to his devastating form this season which has included a world leading time in Lausanne.
Cheruiyot took the lead from the gun and broke away along with compatriot Ronald Kwemoi. He ran 55 seconds for the first 400m and 1:51 for 800, a risky move late in a season which has seen him run a succession of fast times in the Diamond League.
Still, he kept ramping up the pace, moved away from Kwemoi with 600m left and established a clear lead at the bell which he never looked like relinquishing.
Makhloufi, silver medalist at the 2016 Rio Olympics, led the chase around the final lap and held off Lewandowski, Norway's 19-year-old European champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen and British pair Jake Wightman and Josh Kerr to claim his first world championship medal.
Olympic champion Matt Centrowitz of the United States was eighth.