Ingebrigtsen beats brother and bedtime to win European Indoor 3,000m
GLASGOW: Teenage sensation Jakob Ingebrigtsen won the European Indoor 3,000 metres in Glasgow on Saturday, beating his older brother Henrik into third place before joking the late evening start meant he had been up “16 minutes past my bedtime”.
The 18-year- old Norwegian is the reigning European outdoor champion at both 1,500 metres and 5,000m after a stunning double triumph in Berlin last year, with British middle- distance great Steve Cram even suggesting he could be a “once in a lifetime” athlete.
Ingebrigtsen, the youngest person recorded to run a mile in under four minutes at the age of 16, endorsed those words on Saturday with a win by 15 metres in a time of seven minutes, 56.51 seconds.
So commanding was his victory, he was even able to wave to spectators and take a long look behind him, where Britain’s Chris O’Hare, running in front of his Scottish home crowd, overtook Henrik Ingebrigtsen with a late surge on the final straight to finish second.
The champion, however, insisted it had been a tough race.
“It wasn’t easy, there were a lot of elbows,” said Jakob Ingebrigtsen.
“It was a really good competition with good athletes and I’m glad to be on the podium. I am 16 minutes past my bedtime, but it’s an amazing day.”
Meanwhile Edinburgh- based O’Hare, 28, added: “With Jakob in races now it feels like there’s only two medals left. The guy is incredible, so I am happy to split up the Ingebrigtsens and it is good just to be back on the medal podium.
“It has been four years if not more since I have been on a podium and it has been a hell of a four years. I wouldn’t change it, it has made me the person I am. And hopefully this is another step forward. I definitely got there on crowd power.”