A member of the Ingebrigtsen family, Ingebrigtsen's older brothers Henrik and Filip are also middle-distance runners who compete internationally. They were trained by their father, Gjert Ingebrigtsen, until 2022.[4]
Career
2017
Ingebrigtsen at the Guldensporenmeeting in Kortrijk, Belgium in 2017.
On 27 May, still 16 years old, Ingebrigtsen became the youngest athlete in history to run the one-mile distance in less than 4 minutes, when he finished in 11th place in a Diamond League race at Hayward Field in Eugene, US.[5] On 15 June, he ran almost two seconds faster, when he won a mile run with a time of 3:56.29 at the Bislett Games in Oslo, Norway.[6]
On 8 July, in his first attempt at the distance, he beat the European Under-20 record in the 3000 metres steeplechase at the Guldensporenmeeting in Kortrijk, Belgium with a time of 8:26.81.[7]
2018: European 1500m and 5000m champion at age 17
On 26 May, at age 17, Ingebrigtsen ran a 3:52.28 mile in the Prefontaine Classic's Bowerman Mile for fourth place. It was the fastest mile ever run by a 17-year-old at the time.[8]
2019
On 5 July 2019, Ingebrigtsen set a new personal best in the 1500 m when he ran 3:30.16 at the LausanneDiamond League for second position.[9]
On 20 July at the London Diamond League, Ingebrigtsen set a new national record and U20 European Record at the 5000m with 13:02.03, finishing second.[10]
On 19 October, Ingebrigtsen broke Sondre Nordstad Moen’s Norwegian 10km record at the Hytteplanmila in Hole, Norway, winning the race in 27:54. The time was a national record, the fastest time by a European in 2019, and a European U20 best.[11]
2020: First European record (1500m)
On 14 August, at the Herculis meeting in Monaco, Ingebrigtsen broke the 3:30 barrier in the 1500 m for the first time, running 3:28.68, which was under Mo Farah's 7-year-old European record of 3:28.81.[12]
2021: Tokyo Olympic 1500m champion
On 10 June 2021 at the Diamond League in Florence, Italy, Ingebrigtsen set a new European record in the 5000m with his time of 12:48.45, in a race where a half-dozen competitors bested a time of 12:55.[13][14]
At the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics, on 7 August, Ingebrigtsen set an Olympic and European record of 3:28.32 to secure gold in the 1500-meter final. This eclipsed the newly set Olympic record of 3:31.65 established by the Kenyan Abel Kipsang in the Tokyo semifinals, and the previous Olympic record of 3:32.07 set by Noah Ngeny in the 2000 Summer Olympics.[15][16] Ingebrigtsen became the second youngest winner in this event.[17] On the final bend, he overtook for the first time his Kenyan rival Timothy Cheruiyot, who won the silver medal.[18][19]
At the season-ending Diamond League final at the Zurich Weltklasse meeting, Ingebrigtsen placed second to Cheruiyot, who edged him out over the final sprint.[20]
2022: World indoor 1500m record, world 5000m title
About a month later at the 2022 World Indoor Championships held in Belgrade, he was beaten in the event by Tefera, who ran a new championship record of 3:32.77 while Ingebrigtsen placed second in a time of 3:33.02.[22] Ingebrigtsen tested positive for COVID-19 the following day.[4]
He won the silver medal in the 1500m after being outsprinted by Jake Wightman of Great Britain in the World Championships. In the same championships, he won the gold medal at the 5000 metres event at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon in a time of 13:09:24. Ingebrigtsen became the first male runner not born in Africa to win an Olympic or World Championships gold at the 5000m in 30 years, going back to Dieter Baumann in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.[4]
At the season-ending Zürich Diamond League final, he defeated Timothy Cheruiyot in the 1500m to take his first Diamond Trophy. The victory brought his lifetime head-to-head with Cheruiyot to 7–13.[23]
2023: 2 mile world best, 2000m world record
In March at the European Indoor Championships held in Istanbul, Ingebrigtsen secured the 1500m/3000m 'double-double', winning both events for the second time. He set a championship record of 3:33.95 at the shorter distance and broke the Norwegian record at the longer event with a time of 7:40.32.[24][25]
At the Diamond League Paris meet on 9 June 2023, Ingebrigtsen set the two mile world best by running 7:54.10, improving Daniel Komen's previous world best of 7:58.61, set in 1997, by 4.51 seconds. This made Ingebrigtsen the second man in history, after Komen, to break eight minutes in the two mile and thus average two miles at a sub four minute mile pace.[26]
On 15 June, Ingebrigtsen improved his own European record in the 1500 metres at the Bislett Games, breaking the 3:28 barrier for the first time by running 3:27.95. On 16 July, at the Silesia Diamond League, Ingebrigtsen would further improve his time to 3:27.14 to become the fourth fastest man at the distance.[27][28]
Ingebrigtsen and Kerr in the final curve of the 1500 m final
For the second successive championships, Ingebrigtsen finished second in the final sprint to a Scottish and British athlete, Josh Kerr, in the 1500m final at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest. He repeated as the gold-medal winner in the 5000m.[29] Less than two weeks later, Ingebrigtsen set a world record in the 2000m at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels.[30][31] His record of 4:43.13 eclipsed the previous record of 4:44.79 that was set by Hicham El Guerrouj in 1999.
The Norwegian ended his season with victories in the mile and 3000m at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon, which also served as the Diamond League final. He edged Yared Nuguse for the win in the mile, winning in 3:43.73 and missing the world record by 0.6 seconds.[32] His time was a new European record and the third-fastest time ever run, behind Noah Ngeny's 3:43.40 and Hicham El Guerrouj's world record of 3:43.13, which were both ran in 1999.[33] In the 3000m, Ingebrigtsen defeated Yomif Kejelcha of Ethiopia, by one hundredth of a second, in a sprint finish.[34] At the time, Ingebrigtsen's clocking of 7:23.63 was the third fastest ever run at the distance, behind El Guerrouj's 1999 time of 7:23.09 and Daniel Komen's world record of 7:20.67, set in 1996.[35]
In fall of 2023, post-track season, Ingebrigtsen suffered an injury around the sacrum region, causing him, for the first time in seven years, to not defend his continental title at the European Cross Country Championships. According to Ingebrigtsen's spokesperson Espen Skoland, Ingebrigtsen focused on recovery and training during this time, after a lengthy, challenging 2023 season, to prepare for an important Olympic Year in 2024.[36]
Ingebrigtsen's first race of 2024 was on 25 May, at the Prefontaine Classic'sBowerman Mile, against rivals Josh Kerr and Yared Nuguse.[38] With the historically deep field, and the highly anticipated pre-Olympic match-up between Ingebrigtsen and Kerr, who last raced each other at the 2023 World Championships, the 2024 Bowerman Mile was billed as the "Mile Race of the Century". Kerr took the win in 3:45.34, a new British record, while Ingebrigtsen came second in 3:45.60, and Nuguse in third at 3:46.22.[39][40]
Ingebrigtsen won the 1500m race at the 2024 Oslo Diamond League meet in a time of 3:29.74, edging out Timothy Cheruiyot by three hundredths of a second. Ingebrigtsen's dramatic dive across the finish line secured his victory. This marked the world's best time in the 1500m so far in 2024.[41] Ingebrigtsen also won the 1500m race at the European Athletics Championships, with a time of 3:31.95, and the 5000m race in a time of 13:20.11.[42]
Ingebrigtsen leading the 1500 m final at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
On 6 August 2024, in the Olympic men's 1500 meter final, Ingebrigtsen unexpectedly faded to fourth, with Yared Nuguse, Josh Kerr, and Cole Hocker passing him in the final straightaway.[46] The race was highly anticipated given Ingebrigtsen's rivalry with Kerr, with World Athletics President and former middle-distance runner Sebastian Coe labeling it a "Race for the Ages".[47] Ingebrigtsen led at a fast pace for most of the race, but in the final straightaway, was passed by Kerr. Ingebrigtsen ended up moving outwards, which gave Hocker an opening to use his kick, passing Ingebrigtsen and eventually Kerr to win gold in a new Olympic record and North American area record of 3:27.65. Meanwhile, Nuguse passed a fading Ingebrigtsen to secure a bronze medal and nearly passed Kerr, who secured a silver medal. Kerr and Nuguse finished in personal bests of 3:27.79 and 3:27.80 respectively, while Ingebrigtsen finished behind in 3:28.24.[46][48]
However, Ingebrigtsen would go on to win the Olympic 5,000m on 10 August, in a time of 13:13.66. This race saw a relatively slow start, but turned into a sprint finish, with the final lap being 53.2 seconds.[49] With his Tokyo 2020 gold medal in the 1500 meters, and his Paris 2024 gold medal in the 5,000 meters, Ingebrigtsen became the third man in history to have achieved a gold medal in both the 1500 meter and 5000 meter events. The other two men, Hicham El Guerrouj and Paavo Nurmi, achieved this feat in the same Olympic Games, in Athens 2004 and Paris 1924 respectively.[50][51]
On 22 August, at the 2024 Lausanne Diamond League, Ingebrigtsen defeated Olympic champion Cole Hocker in the 1500 metres, setting a new meeting record of 3:27.83 to Hocker's 3:29.85.[52]
Ingebrigtsen set a new 3000 metres world record at the Diamond League meeting in Silesia, Poland, on 25 August, clocking a sensational 7:17.55 to break the previous mark of 7:20.67 set by Kenya's Daniel Komen in 1996. Komen's nearly 28-year-old record, which no athlete had previously come within two seconds of (Hicham El Guerrouj coming closest at a distant 7:23.09), had been the longest-standing men's athletics world record in an individual track event. In breaking the record, the Norwegian became the first man to break the 7:20 barrier at this distance, averaging 58.34 seconds per 400m with the final lap being blistering 55.45 seconds. Ingebrigtsen's 3000m performance, with a world athletics score of 1320 points, ranks as the second-highest men's distance world record in athletics, only behind Kelvin Kiptum's marathon world record of 2:00:35 which scores 1322 points.[53][54][55]
Bernard Lagat, a former middle-distance runner and the second fastest 1500 m runner of all time, reacted to Ingebrigtsen's new 3000 m world record as follows.[56]
Hear this from a 1500m (3:26.34) dude. I’ve always maintained that the 3000m WR of 7:20.67 is the HARDEST WR to break. In my opinion- It’s harder than the 1500m WR; no disrespect to my dear brother, Hicham; Jakob’s 7:17.55 is WILD!!
On 5 September, Ingebrigtsen finished second to Yared Nuguse in the 1500 metres at the Weltklasse Zürich meeting, in a time of 3:29.52 to Nuguse's 3:29.21, who out-kicked Ingebrigtsen in the final straightaway. Although the wave lights were set to 3:26.73, Ingebrigtsen reported being sick after setting his world record in the 3000 metres. Ingebrigtsen's sickness and suboptimal weather and track conditions proved to make a world lead or world record by either Nuguse or Ingebrigtsen infeasible. In addition to Nuguse & Ingebrigtsen, the race featured the other two Olympic medalists, Cole Hocker and Josh Kerr, who finished third and fifth respectively. As such, this race was billed as an "Olympic rematch" and the "metric mile of the century".[57][58][59][60][61]
On 13 September, at the Wanda Diamond League Final in Brussels, Ingebrigtsen ended his track season with a Diamond League title in the 1500 m, winning in a time of 3:30.37.[62] At the finish line of the race was world record holder Hicham El Guerrouj, who congratulated Ingebrigtsen.[63]
On 15 September, Ingebrigtsen competed at the Copenhagen Half Marathon, his debut at the distance. At 10 kilometres, he split 27:27, which was a personal best for Ingebrigtsen and a new Norwegian national record. At the 10km mark, he stopped, but ended up continuing on to finish the half marathon in a time of 1:03:13, which was 34th overall in the elite race.[64] Ingebrigtsen ended his season by winning the senior race at the European Cross Country Championships in Antalya, his third win in the event.[65]
Personal life
Jakob Ingebrigtsen starred in a five-season Norwegian reality show called Team Ingebrigtsen from 2016 to 2021, which revolved around him and his brothers, showing the trials and tribulations of middle-distance running.[66] In March 2024, a representative for Amazon Prime confirmed the development of a new show whose plot follows Jakob and his brothers in the lead up to the 2024 Olympics in Paris.[67][68] This series, known as Ingebrigtsen: Born to Run, premiered on 20 September 2024, with the first season having six episodes.[69]
In October 2023, Jakob, Filip, and Henrik Ingebrigtsen released a statement accusing their father and former coach Gjert of "aggression, control, and physical violence", also saying that he "took the joy out of the sport they once loved". Gjert stopped coaching his sons in 2022, and was not accredited at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest.[70] Gjert would later be charged with seven counts of domestic abuse under Norwegian law in 2024, with a trial set for 2025.[71]
On 23 September 2023, Ingebrigtsen married Elisabeth Asserson.[72] Their daughter, Filippa, was born on 25 June 2024.[73]
Ingebrigtsen has stated he would like to break every record from the 1500 m up to the marathon. Thus far, Ingebrigtsen has broken the 2000m and 3000m world records, and the two mile world best.[74][75]
Music career
In late July 2024, with the goal of getting Norwegians excited and confident in their athletes for the 2024 Summer Olympics, Jakob, Filip, and Henrik Ingebrigtsen released a pop song known as Ingen gjør det bedre (Nobody Does It Better). They released this under the handle The IngebritZ. In addition to featuring views of Norwegian fjords and mountains, along with archival footage of Norwegian athletes, the piece's original footage was filmed in St. Moritz, Switzerland.[76][77]
Achievements
Ingebrigtsen brothers (in white) lead the pack in the race (L-R): Henrik, Jakob and Filip.
Brothers celebrate after the race (L-R): Henrik (4th), Jakob (1st) and Filip (12th).
Middle-distance running events are track races longer than sprints, ranging from 500 metres up to two miles. The standard middle distances are the 800 metres, 1500 metres and mile run, although the 3000 metres may also be classified as a middle-distance event. The 1500 m came about as a result of running 3+3⁄4 laps of a 400 m outdoor track or 7+1⁄2 laps of a 200 m indoor track, which were commonplace in continental Europe in the 20th century.
Hicham El Guerrouj is a retired Moroccan middle-distance runner. El Guerrouj is the current world record holder for the 1500 metres and mile, and the former world record holder in the 2000 metres. He is the only man since Paavo Nurmi to win a gold medal in both the 1500 m and 5000 metres at the same Olympic Games.
The Prefontaine Classic is a track and field meet held at Hayward Field on the campus of the University of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon, United States. Organized by the Oregon Track Club, it was previously one of the IAAF Grand Prix events, and is now part of the Diamond League. The meet is one of the few international competitions to host the imperial distances of the Mile run and 2 Mile run.
The 1500 metres or 1,500-metre run is the foremost middle distance track event in athletics. The distance has been contested at the Summer Olympics since 1896 and the World Championships in Athletics since 1983. It is equivalent to 1.5 kilometers or approximately 15⁄16 miles. The event is closely associated with its slightly longer cousin, the mile race, from which it derives its nickname "the metric mile".
The 3000 metres or 3000-metre run is a track running event, also commonly known as the "3K" or "3K run", where 7.5 laps are run around an outdoor 400 m track, or 15 laps around a 200 m indoor track.
The mile run is a middle-distance foot race.
Faith Chepngetich Kipyegon is a Kenyan middle- and long-distance runner. Kipyegon is the current world record holder for the 1,500 metres and mile, and the former world record holder for the 5,000 metres. Kipyegon is the only three-time Olympic champion in the 1500 metres race, having won a gold medal each at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2024 Paris Olympics. She also won a gold medal in the 1,500 m at the 2017, 2022 and 2023 World Athletics Championships and in the 5,000 m at the 2023 World Athletics Championships. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Kipyegon became the first athlete ever to win three consecutive gold medals in the 1500m women's race, where she also set a new Olympic record. Kipyegon had earlier on in the 2024 Paris Olympics also earned a silver medal in the women's 5000m race, an event marked by controversy. Initially disqualified for obstruction, Kipyegon's second-place finish was later reinstated. Beatrice Chebet edged her out to win the gold.
Gudaf Tsegay Desta is an Ethiopian middle- and long-distance runner. She is the current women’s world record holder for 5,000 m (14:00.21), set at the 2023 final Diamond League event, the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon. Eugene is also where she won the World Athletics Championships on 5,000 m in 2022. At the World Athletics Championships, Gudaf also won the gold medal for 10,000 metres in 2023; a bronze for the 1,500 metres in 2019, and silver in 2022. She is the 2020 Tokyo Olympic bronze medallist in the women's 5,000 metres. She is a two-time World Indoor Championship 1,500 m medallist, claiming bronze in 2016 and gold in 2022. She is also the world indoor record holder for the 1,500 m, setting previously in this event world under-18 (current) and U20 (former) records.
Yomif Kejelcha Atomsa is an Ethiopian distance runner. He holds the current world record in the short track mile, and the half marathon.
Timothy Cheruiyot is a Kenyan middle-distance runner specialising in the 1500 metres. He is the 2020 Tokyo Olympic silver medallist in the event and the 8th fastest athlete all time over the distance. At the World Athletics Championships, Cheruiyot won the silver medal in 2017 in London, and a gold in 2019 in Doha.
Filip Mangen Ingebrigtsen is a Norwegian middle-distance runner who represents Sandnes Idrettslag. In 2016, Ingebrigtsen became European Champion at 1500 meters during the European Championships in Amsterdam, and took bronze over the same distance at the World Championships in 2017 in London. He previously held the Norwegian 1500m record with the time 3:30.01, set at a Diamond League meet in Monaco on 20 July 2018. At the 2019 London Diamond League Ingebrigtsen finished second to Samuel Tefera in the mile. With a time of 3:49.60 Ingebrigtsen ran a national record and new personal best.
Josh Kerr is a British middle-distance runner who competes primarily in the 1500 metres. He won a gold medal in the event at the 2023 World Championships, a silver medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics, a bronze medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics, and a gold medal at the 2015 European Junior Championships. Indoors he is the 2024 World Indoor champion in the 3000 metres. He holds the world best time in the short track 2 mile, the European record in the short track mile & 3000 m, and the British record in the outdoor 1500m and mile.
The Bowerman Mile is a prestigious and historic mile race for elite middle distance runners held annually at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon.
George Mills is an English athlete specialising in the 1500 metres and 5000 metres.
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Yared Nuguse is an American professional middle-distance runner who specializes in the 1500 meters. He was the 2019 NCAA Division I champion in the event and bronze medalist from the 2024 Summer Olympics. Nuguse is the North American outdoor record holder over the one mile distance, and the North American indoor record holder for the 1500 meters, one mile and 3000 meters.
Cameron Myers is an Australian track and field athlete. In 2023, he broke the world record for the fastest mile by a sixteen year-old, and became the second youngest person in the world to ever have run a sub-four minute mile. Aged sixteen, he took the Australian national under-20 mile record. Myers broke Jakob Ingebrigtsen's mile, 1500m and 3000m age-group records.
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