Norwegian superstar Jakob Ingebrigtsen is on the brink of making history after clinching his first-ever World Indoor Championships gold in the 3000m at Nanjing, China.
The middle-distance sensation, is now setting his sights on an even bigger prize in the 1500m final looming on Sunday.
Jakob Ingebrigtsen is poised to make history, aiming to become only the second male athlete ever to complete the 1500m-3000m double at the World Indoor Championships.
“It’s always special to win something you haven’t won before, I’ve been in this championship before and wasn’t able to win, so this feels new and exciting. But now, I’m fully focused on the 1500m. It’s all about doing the right things to prepare for the race,” Ingebrigtsen said in an interview with letsrun.com.
The 28 year old triumph among strong fields, including Ethiopia’s Berihu Aregawi, who pushed him to the limit, and Aregawi, the runner-up who launched multiple attacks, including a fierce kick at the bell.
“It was a very good race. There were a lot of strong runners, and it’s different from the 1500m, but I’m happy with how it went. Now, it’s time to recover and focus on the next challenge,” he said.
Should Jakob Ingebrigtsen triumph in the 1500m, he will join Ethiopian legend Haile Gebrselassie as the only male athletes to achieve the distance double at the World Indoor Championships.
Gebrselassie accomplished the feat back in 1999, and Ingebrigtsen is now on the cusp of etching his name alongside one of the sport’s all-time greats.
The absence of his main rivals in 2024 Paris Olympics, where he missed out on a 1500m medal, has only fueled his motivation to prove his dominance.