Tuesday's 1500m race offered up one of the most surprising outcomes of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games when 23-year-old American Cole Hocker shocked the favourites to take home gold.

In an Olympic 1500m final being dubbed one of the best in history, Hocker overtook Norway's Tokyo gold medalist Jakob Ingebrigtsen before then racing ahead of Team GB's Josh Kerr, another favourite to win, at the very last gasp.

The race was heavily touted as a showdown between bitter rivals Ingebrigtsen and Kerr with everything down to the climactic walk-outs at the Stade de France emphasising the face-off between the two.

Having previously called Kerr “just the next guy” insisting that he could beat the Brit "blindfolded", Ingebrigsten had escalated the rivalry going into the race while Kerr predicted it to be one of the most "vicious" races in a "very long time".

Sure enough, Jakob Ingebrigtsen took an early position at the front of the pack setting the pace for much of the race with Kerr on his tail before eventually fading with the end in sight and finishing fourth overall. 

The former Tokyo champion had basked in his candidacy as the favourite just before the games, all too confidently describing the Summer Games as a "walk in the park."

Following the race, Norway's 23-year-old Olympian took to social media to congratulate the three that finished above him acknowledging that they outsmarted him. 

"Well, I guess he did show up after all…! Hocker and Nuguse as well" he wrote. "My team always say that because you have a big mouth and are the one to beat, you have everything to lose in competitions." 

"Today, Cole Hocker, Yared Nuguse and Josh Kerr outsmarted me. They were the best guys when it really mattered. And I want to congratulate them all on a great performance!"

Ingebrigtsen continued: "I sincerely want to express my gratitude and love to them and the rest of the team and to my partners and the Norwegian Athletics Association and all my followers for the support this year," he continued. "Thank you so much. It means a lot to me!"

"Luckily for me, I get to do it all again tomorrow morning."

Ingebrigtsen will have his second shot at a medal in the Paris 2024 Men's 5000m on Wednesday.