TOKYO (AP) — This year’s out-of-nowhere winner of the men’s 1,500 meters hails from Portugal. It’s Isaac Nader, who ran five wide down the stretch Wednesday night to pull a shocker at world championships, even against a field that lost three of its top contenders long before the finish line.

Nader took advantage of a leisurely pace and beat 2022 champion Jake Wightman, who also wasn’t expected to contend, by .02 seconds. The winning time: 3 minutes, 34.10 seconds.

Reynold Cheruiyot finished third while one of the favorites, Niels Laros, faded at the end and wound up fifth. Another, 2023 world champ Josh Kerr, pulled up lame in the third lap and finished the race nearly 30 seconds off the pace.

The last two Olympic champs, Cole Hocker and Jakob Ingebrigtsen, weren’t even in the final.

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