Olympic champ Hocker DQ’d from 1,500 at worlds after squeeze through the pack is ruled ‘jostling’

TOKYO (AP) – Olympic champion Cole Hocker was disqualified from the semifinals of the 1,500 meters at world championships Monday after judges ruled he jostled other runners while making a late move on the inside.

Hocker was running near the inside edge of the track when he got boxed in and turned semi-sideways to squeeze past Germany’s Robert Farken.

Hocker finished second. Farken finished the race two spots out of a qualifying position but was advanced to the final because of the interference.

Hocker ran the first three laps of the race out front. Before finding out about his DQ, he said he thought about staying up there because he was feeling strong.

“Maybe I should’ve just taken it to the line, because a couple guys went around me and I thought … it slowed down a little bit, and that’s where I got in trouble,” he said. “You always learn something from a race.”

Hocker was the surprise winner at the Paris Games last year, which was billed as a battle between rivals Josh Kerr and Jakob Ingebrigtsen. Hocker snuck along the inside to pass them both down the stretch for the victory.

Now, Hocker will join Ingebrigtsen as a spectator for the 1,500. The Norweigan star, ailing with an Achilles injury all season, failed to make it out of the first round earlier this week.

Both runners are still signed up for the 5,000 meters, which start Friday.