Ingebrigtsen Withdraws From 1500m After Budapest 5,000m Win
He said limited recovery after February Achilles surgery and a condensed comeback prevent him from racing the 1500m final.
Overview
- Jakob Ingebrigtsen won the men’s 5,000m at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship and on Saturday announced he will not run the 1500m final because he cannot recover for back-to-back races.
- In a video posted on Instagram Ingebrigtsen said he was “not in a position to go in back-to-back races” and framed the decision as a recovery and long-term fitness choice after Achilles surgery in February.
- The 1500m final will still feature a top field including mile world-record holder Josh Kerr, Olympic champion Cole Hocker, reigning world champion Isaac Nader, and other recent global medalists.
- Ingebrigtsen’s withdrawal follows a week of public tension over race tactics and scheduling that included his criticism of rivals for tactical racing and comments about Kerr skipping the European Championships.
- The decision highlights the trade-offs elite runners face between chasing big-money meets like the new Ultimate Championship and protecting health during a comeback, and it could shape how athletes pick end-of-season events going forward.