The best races of 2018 series concludes with the men’s distance races. If you missed any of the previous four installments, can check them out here:

-Hurdles

-Women’s Sprints

-Men’s Sprints

-Women’s Distance

800m: London Diamond League

2018 will be remembered as the year the world was introduced to the Emmanuel Korir head bob. The 23-year-old broke 1:43 twice in 2018, breaking into the 1:42s for the first time in his career. At the London Diamond League, his head pivoted back and forth as he kicked away from the field in the last 100 meters. 

His winning time of 1:42.05 gave him the win by over a second and one-upped the 1:42.14 Nigel Amos ran two days prior in Monaco. Behind Korir, four men ran under 1:43.30, including Clayton Murphy, who ran 1:43.12 for second place.  

1500m: Monaco Diamond League

The present and future of this event were on the line in Monaco. The race was one in a long line of comfortable Timothy Cheruiyot victories in 2018, and was only remarkable in that it produced his fastest time of the year: 3:28.41. 

But the real intrigue was behind Cheruiyot, where Elijah Manangoi, Filip Ingebrigtsen and Jakob Ingebrigtsen stormed past the finish line. Filip’s third-place finish of 3:30.01 was a Norwegian record. Jakob, Filip’s 17-year-old brother, took fourth in 3:31.18—a personal best by almost five seconds. 

Already one of the most exciting young talents in the sport, the performance lifted Jakob to new heights. The next month, he won double gold in the 1500m and 5000m at the European Championships.   

5000m: Brussels Diamond League

This event was headed for a historic low point until the Diamond League final produced one of the fastest 5000m races of all-time. Entering the race in Brussels, no man had run faster than 13 minutes in 2018. The last time there were no sub-13s on the year? 1993.

That stat was rendered irrelevant when Selemon Barega and seven other men broke 13 minutes. Barega, with the help of some bold front-running by Yomif Kejelcha, ran the last 3000m in 7:31 to post a 12:43.02, the sixth fastest time in history. Hagos Gebrhiwet took second in 12:45.82 and Kejelcha ran 12:46.79. No other race has produced a 1-2-3 that ran that fast. 

In total, nine of the 12 finishers of the race left with lifetime bests. 

3000m Steeplechase: Zurich Diamond League

Less than 90 seconds into the Zurich Diamond League steeplechase, Conseslus Kipruto lost his left shoe. This would spell doom for mere mortals, but Kipruto is the reigning world and Olympic champion so he kept running--and kept running well. At the bell, Kipruto was in contention in second place behind Soufiane El Bakkali entering the final 100 meters. 

El Bakkali was in command until the final hurdle, which is where Kipruto found an extra gear with only one shoe on. He edged past El Bakkali in the final meters to take the most incredible victory of his career.