1500 metres at the World Championships in Athletics

1500 metres at the World Championships in Athletics
Women racing in the 2009 semi-finals
Overview
Gender	Men and women
Years held	Men: 1983 – 2017 Women: 1983 – 2017
Championship record
Men	3:27.65 Hicham El Guerrouj (1999)
Women	3:58.52 Tatyana Tomashova (2003)
Reigning champion
Men	Elijah Manangoi (KEN)
Women	Faith Kipyegon (KEN)

The 1500 metres at the World Championships in Athletics has been contested by both men and women since the inaugural edition in 1983. It is the second most prestigious title in the discipline after the 1500 metres at the Olympics. The competition format typically has two qualifying rounds leading to a final between twelve athletes. It is one of two middle-distance running events on the programme, alongside the World Championship 800 metres.

The championship records for the event are 3:27.65 minute for men, set by Hicham El Guerrouj in 1999, and 3:58.52 minutes for women, set by Tatyana Tomashova in 2003. The world record has never been broken or equalled at the competition by either men or women, reflecting the lack of pacemaking and athletes' more tactical approach to championship races.

Hicham El Guerrouj of Morocco is the most successful athlete of the event through his four straight wins from 1997 to 2003, as well as a silver in 1995. Algeria's Noureddine Morceli is the next most successful athlete, with three gold medals. Two-time champion Hassiba Boulmerka of Algeria is the only woman to have won three medals. Rashid Ramzi is the only athlete to have won both middle-distance titles, having done an 800 m/1500 m double at the 2005 World Championships in Athletics. The first two women's champions Mary Decker and Tatyana Dorovskikh both completed 1500 m/3000 m World Championships doubles, while Bernard Lagat completed a 1500 m/5000 metres double at the 2007 World Championships. Steve Cram, the inaugural men's winner, is the only non-African-born man to win the World Championship event.