The 1500m is a discipline where Jakob Ingebrigtsen crushes the competition all year round, but where a Briton inevitably ends up passing under his nose. The Norwegian, ultra-favorite at the Budapest Worlds, had however taken control from the start, Wednesday August 23, gradually accelerating the pace of the race in accordance with his usual tactics. But the Tokyo Olympic champion in 2021 stalled out of the last corner against Briton Josh Kerr. The 2021 Olympic bronze medalist completed a supersonic home stretch to claim his first world title at 25 (3 min 29 s 38).
A scenario reminiscent of the Worlds of Eugene (Oregon) in the United States, in 2022. The Norwegian, already favorite, had failed in his quest for the title by finishing behind the Briton Jake Wightman, package this year in Hungary because of injury. In the absence of his compatriot, the native of Edinburgh (Scotland) took charge of bringing the gold medal across the Channel, once again depriving Ingebrigtsen of the only title missing from his list. “I threw all my strength into the last 200 meters, thinking about my sixteen years in the sport, and I didn’t give up until the end,” explained Josh Kerr, very emotional after his race.
Ingebrigtsen leaves the track headlong
While Jakob Ingebrigtsen seemed untouchable, allowing himself to harangue the crowd on the run in the 1500m semi-finals, the Norwegian finally lost his footing in the final. Suffering at the end of the race, the latter was even almost overtaken by his compatriot Narve Gilje Nordås who finished three hundredths behind him, in 3 min 29 s 65. A crime of lèse-majesté, while the 24-year-old young man is trained by Ingebrigtsen’s father, Gjert, with whom relations are now very strained. Completely stunned, the Olympic champion immediately left the track, head down, without taking the time to perform the traditional lap of honor with the other medalists.
Did the Norwegian err on the side of confidence? The one who had already been immensely disappointed in 2022, repeating over and over again having been “the best athlete in the final”, will have to overcome his frustration to remobilize over 5,000m, the distance over which he is defending champion. Even more, by chasing records (2 miles, European record for 1,500 m), would the Norwegian have left feathers there? “I always try to run as fast as I can. I also want to do the double in Budapest and I think it’s compatible, “assured the European champion at the meeting in Charléty (Paris). It won’t be this time around.
Frenchman Azeddine Habz, long placed in fifth position, cracked in the last corner and finished his final in 11th place (3 min 33 s 14). “I am fast over 800 meters but I will still have to work to be there next year in Paris, especially the land”, assured the person concerned at the microphone of France Télévisions. The last French world medal in this event dates back to 2003, when Mehdi Baala won silver at the Stade de France. For Great Britain, the transfer of power will have been much faster: just over a year, proof of a unique density in the discipline.
The British federation, although in the midst of an economic slump, thus confirms its excellent harvest, after five days of competition, one year from the Paris Games. After Katarina Johnson-Thompson’s title in the heptathlon, the silver medal in the mixed 4x400m relay, and the bronze medal for Zharnel Hugues in the 100m, the middle distance has responded.