Stefan Nillessen, the biggest surprise of the European Athletics Championships, is the new 1,500m champion

Stefan Nillessen delivered the biggest surprise of the European Athletics Championships by winning the 1,500-meter gold medal. In a dramatic finish at Birmingham's athletics stadium, Nillessen surged in the final lap, overtaking pre-race favorites Jake Wightman and Jake Heyward of Great Britain. The unexpected victory stunned the home crowd, with commentators exclaiming, "Woooow, what a finish."

Nillessen, 23, is a training partner and close friend of Niels Laros, who was unable to compete due to injury. Laros, a rising star in Dutch athletics, finished sixth in the Olympic 1,500-meter final in Paris last year, while Nillessen placed ninth. Both athletes are coached by Tomasz Lewandowski.

Remarkably, Nillessen only fully committed to athletics four years ago. Before that, he played tennis and football and worked behind the bar in a café until he was 19. His rapid progress saw him win the European U23 championships just two years later, surprising the field with a powerful sprint finish. He has since secured national titles in the 800m and 1,500m.

This season had been challenging for Nillessen after sustaining an ankle injury in February, with his return to competition only occurring in June. Prior to the European Championships, he was ranked only eighteenth in Europe for the 1,500m. Despite the absence of top contenders like Josh Kerr and Jakob Ingebrigtsen, several higher-ranked athletes were present, making Nillessen's gold medal win even more astonishing.

“

Woooow, what a finish.