Athletics-Insatiable Ingebrigtsen targets 1,500m world double

March 17 (Reuters) – Despite the incredible success he has enjoyed so far in his career, Jakob Ingebrigtsen has never won a world title in the 1,500 metres and that is something he is determined to put right, indoors and out, in Nanjing and Tokyo this season.

The Norwegian arrived in China at the weekend for next week’s world indoor championships and will return to Asia in September for the outdoor edition at Tokyo’s National Stadium, where he won Olympic gold in the event in 2021.

“That’s definitely the goal for the season,” he told reporters from China on Monday.

“I try to do as well as I can, try to participate as much as possible, but ultimately the 1,500 metres is my main event and my favourite event. So that’s always going to be the main focus and the main goal.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to have visible improvement in my personal best in the last couple years, and I’m still a big believer that I can continue that going for many years in the future.”

Ingebrigtsen won silver behind Samuel Tefera in the 1,500 at his only previous indoor worlds in Belgrade in 2022, missing out on last year’s edition in Glasgow because of an Achilles injury.

In the last two outdoor world 1,500s he was beaten into silver in almost identical circumstances by British duo Jake Wightman, in Eugene 2022, and Josh Kerr in Budapest 2023.

The 24-year-old also failed in his attempt to retain his 1,500 title at the Paris Olympics last year, but did go home with a gold in the 5,000 to add to the back-to-back outdoor world titles he won in the longer event in 2022 and 2023.

He has been in impressive indoor form this year, setting world records for the mile and 1,500 in France in February and taking the 1,500-3,000 double for the third time at the European Championships in the Netherlands earlier this month.

“I feel strong, I feel good. I’m improving,” he said.

“I think that’s a good way to kind of conclude that we’re definitely on the right path and doing some right things and hopefully improving in general.

“I think, if not better, I’m definitely as good as I’ve been before. And, of course, I think I’ve improved a little bit.”

Ingebrigtsen competes as often as he can and in Nanjing he will be targeting the men’s 1,500-3,000 double — a feat achieved only once at the world indoors by Ethiopian great Haile Gebrselassie in 1999.

“I really thrive in a competitive environment. That’s how I’ve always been,” he added.

“If it weren’t for the competition of it, I would definitely not be able to be so dedicated and structured in my training, because everything is with a goal in mind, and that goal is ultimately a competition.”

As Gebrselassie did during his celebrated career, Ingebrigtsen has ambitions to take on the challenge of longer distances both on the track and the road.

From now until the end of September, however, his focus is resolutely on more success on the track.

“I never look at my competitors and say that I’m going to beat them,” he said. “I’m going to try to do as well as I can, and if I can do my best, and do 100%, of course I will win.” (Reporting by Nick Mulvenney in Sydney, editing by Christian Radnedge)