Jakob Ingebrigtsen won European 5,000m title in Munich

• Jakob Ingebrigtsen of Norway wins the European 5,000m title in Munich.
• The 21-year-old keeps his bid for a European double on track.
• He won the 1,500m event at the world championships last month.

Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen showed the world how to run long distances on Tuesday in Munich. He easily kept his European 5,000m title and kept his bid for a repeat double on track.

At the world championships in Oregon last month, the 21-year-old won the long distance race and was named world champion. His time was 13min 21.13sec.

Mohamed Katir of Spain won silver with a time of 13:22.98, and Yemaneberhan Crippa of Italy won bronze (13:24.83).

“Everybody has the expectations and you have to learn how to deal with it,” Ingebrigtsen said.

“I believe in myself and I believe in the things I have done before. It was amazing here today, it was a great race to be a part of.

“It feels great to be back and win, it is special.”

The Norwegian had won both the 1,500-meter and 5,000-meter races at the last European Championships in Berlin in 2018. He was only 17 years old at the time.

“It brings back the memories of Berlin,”  said Ingebrigtsen, who was quick to praise the loud crowd in Munich.

The Norwegian doesn’t have much time to get better, though, because the final for the 1,500m is on Thursday at 19:05.

“I am in the next race on Thursday so I am looking forward to it. I always have got something to prove.”

Ingebrigtsen won the 1,500m event at the Olympics in Tokyo, but he had to settle for silver at the world championships in Eugene, Oregon, last month. Britain’s Jake Wightman surprised everyone by taking the gold in this event.

This time, Wightman won’t be a problem for Ingebrigtsen because the Briton has chosen to only run in the 800m.

Narve Gilje Nordas, who was on Ingebrigtsen’s team, took the lead early on. He sped up and split the field into single file at the start of the 12-and-a-half-lap race at Munich’s Olympic Stadium, where the weather was perfect and warm.

With seven laps left, Britain’s Andrew Butchart took the lead, and Katir stuck to Ingebrigtsen’s shoulder.

Hugo Hay, who was French, took a push from Katir and fell, almost taking down Ingebrigtsen.

So, Crippa had to speed up to get to the front of the pack with three laps to go. With 1km to go, Ingebrigtsen moved to the front.

The speed of the race split the field, but Katir and Crippa stayed with the Norwegian until the final bell.

Crippa was passed by Ingebrigtsen with 200m to go, and Katir, who won the bronze medal in the 1500m at the world championships in Eugene, was left behind.

“It was a very tactical race, but also a bit dirty, a lot of pushing and shoving – a no point did I enjoy that race!” said Katir.

“Personally, running a semi-final and a final two days later would have been the right thing to do – but we need to get used to whatever is thrown at us.

“I had some trouble finding a position at the front of the race, with some shoving in between, not to mention that nasty fall from one of the athletes.”

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