Track and field enthusiasts were at the edge of their seats last night, as Norwegian prodigy Jakob Ingebrigtsen flirted with history at the Diamond League meeting in his home turf, Oslo. A fierce battle against the clock unfolded on the indoor 1500 meters track, drawing parallels to the golden era of middle-distance running dominated by Moroccan legend, Hicham El Guerrouj.
Ingebrigtsen, an Olympic gold medallist, displayed a spellbinding performance clocking in at 3 minutes, 27 seconds and 95 hundredths. This is an eyebrow-raising figure, coming perilously close to the long-standing record held by El Guerrouj, set at Rome, 1998. For the past two decades, this record has remained untouched.
The legendary El Guerrouj, who retired in 2006 after a back injury at the World Indoor Championships in Moscow, didn’t let Ingebrigtsen’s performance pass unnoticed. He took to his official Facebook page to acknowledge Ingebrigtsen’s astounding effort, simply writing, “Great performance.” The commendation from a titan of the sport underscores the magnitude of Ingebrigtsen’s achievement and his potential to reshape the record books.
El Guerrouj etched his name into the annals of history by shattering the 1500m world record at just 23 years of age. Now, at a mere 22 years old, Ingebrigtsen is showing a promising trajectory, teetering on the verge of toppling El Guerrouj’s long-standing record
Often, athletes aim to peak in late summer to coincide with major championships, reaching their prime physical condition for stellar performances. Ingebrigtsen’s impressive early-season performance suggests he may yet have more to reveal as the season progresses.
