The final was held on 9 August at 18:20.

Sun Yang did not swim the final, and he did not tell anyone that he had no intention of swimming.
The next man on the list who would have taken his place in the final, was Pál Joensen from the Faroe Islands, but he did not get any message that he could swim in the final, and therefore lane 3 was empty during the final.
Sun Yang said after the event that he had felt chest pain after winning the 800 m freestyle.
He felt it again shortly before the final of 1500 m free, but he could not say at what time it was.
The final was held on 9 August at 18:20.
Sun Yang did not swim the final, and he did not tell anyone that he had no intention of swimming. The next man on the list who would have taken his place in the final, was Pál Joensen from the Faroe Islands, but he did not get any message that he could swim in the final, and therefore lane 3 was empty during the final. Sun Yang said after the event that he had felt chest pain after winning the 800 m freestyle. He felt it again shortly before the final of 1500 m free, but he could not say at what time it was.
Swimming at the 2015 World Aquatics Championships – Men's 1500 metre freestyle