Nick Iwanyshyn

It may not have been world championship gold, but Gabriela DeBues-Stafford‘s run in Tokyo on Tuesday evening was a victory in the eyes of track fans across Canada.

In the women’s 1,500m final, the Canadian record holder stormed to her fastest time since 2022, clocking 3:59.65–not just a season’s best, but the fastest time by a Canadian woman since 2022.

Gabriela DeBues-Stafford in the final of the women’s 1,500m at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn

“I’m happy I was there in the last lap, but I wish I had gone for it at 200m and paid the price in lane two, instead of trying to just tuck in,” she told Canadian Running.

“You always think ‘what if,’ but sub-four–that’s a really good silver lining.” The performance marks the sixth-fastest time of her career.

Last year, DeBues-Stafford missed out on qualifying for the Olympics in both the 1,500m and 5,000m, and her 1,500m season’s best was 4:15.09.

A year later, she’s dipped below 4:04 on six occasions and qualified for the world championships in both events.

“It was really hard,” she said about her comeback journey over the past few years, getting emotional.

“I’m really grateful to everyone who believed in me–Athletics Canada, Nike and especially to Rowan. A lot of people counted me out, and he didn’t.

He was willing to risk a lot–it is a big risk having my husband coach me and taking on that massive responsibility. I don’t think I would still be in that sport without him.”

Gabriela DeBues-Stafford after the final of the women’s 1,500m at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn

The last time DeBues-Stafford competed for Canada at a major outdoor championship was at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, on the same track at the National Stadium.

She will return to the track 7:05 p.m. Thursday local time (6:05 a.m. ET) for the first round of the women’s 5,000m.