Norwegian Jakob Ingebrigtsen, huge favorite in the 1500m, was surprised by Briton Josh Kerr on Wednesday at the Budapest World Championships in Athletics and must settle for silver, another Norwegian, Narve Gilje Nordas, taking bronze. Ingebrigtsen experienced the same scenario as in 2022 in Eugene (Oregon, United States) where, already a favorite, he had been beaten by the Briton Jake Wightman, absent in Hungary through injury. Azeddine Habz, long well placed, took 11th place in 3 min 33 sec 14. Stunned, the Norwegian Olympic champion immediately left the track after the race, without taking the time for a lap of honor with the flag on his back, as medalists usually do.
However, he applied his usual tactics, taking the lead in the 1,000m and gradually accelerating. But Kerr (25), bronze medalist at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, did not leave his stride, to take the upper hand in the final straight (3:29.38 against 3:29.65). Suffering at the end of the race, Ingebrigtsen was even almost overtaken by his compatriot Nordas (3:29.68).
An affront: Nordas is coached by Jakob Ingebrigtsen’s father, Gjert, his former mentor whom he fired two years ago and with whom the relationship is now very strained. Nordas also describes his relationship with his compatriot as “non-existent”. Already immensely frustrated in 2022 – “I was the best athlete in the final”, he repeated – Ingebrigtsen will have to overcome his frustration to shine in the 5000m, of which he is the title holder.
