Jakob Ingebrigtsen has recently taken the athletics world by storm and should serve as an inspiration to aspiring runners all over the world. The 20-year-old, middle-distance runner recently bagged gold in the 1500 meters event at the 2020 Summer Olympics and looks set to add to this in the years ahead. How did the up-and-comer rise to the top so quickly, and what can others learn from his success?
A Meteoric Rise to the Top
The journey of Ingebrigtsen on his way to the top of the running world has been hugely impressive. Ever since his first showing for Norway on the world stage at the European Cross-Country Junior Championship in 2016, where he picked up 1st place, the athlete has maintained a consistent run of brilliance. Indeed, he has picked up another nine gold medals in various events for his country since then. These include two first-place finished at the European Championship in Berlin in 2018, in both the 1500- and 5000-meter events.
Ingebrigtsen then set his sights set on his next potential accolade when he took part in the 1500-meter event at Diamond League Zurich. The athletics markets at Space Casino placed him as an odds-on favorite at 9/10 to win the race, as many experts expected Ingebrigtsen to capitalize on his form from Tokyo. On the day of the race, however, Ingebrigtsen came second, proving to the world that he is a talent worth watching, even if he was outrun by Timothy Cheruiyot, who won the race.
Will Ingebrigtsen Break Records?
It would be reasonable to predict that Ingebrigtsen will go on to break records in his career. He still has many years ahead of him during which he can improve, and there’s absolutely no doubt that he’s currently one of the best in the business.
The Norwegian has already posted impressive figures at several different distances, having recently set a European record at 5000-meter with a time of 12:48.45 in 2021. He’s arguably the best at 2000-meter currently, where he’s officially ranked as the sixth-fastest man in the world. He’s shown incredible ambition in his short career to date, and will no doubt want to smash the times he has recorded thus far.
How Can Runners Learn from Ingebrigtsen?
The biggest asset for the Norwegian has been his extensive support network. Having such a cohesive close-knit running unit alongside him, Ingebrigtsen has been assisted along the peaks and troughs of his journey. This could be the key takeaway for budding runners: make sure that you have people around you who can help you to push yourself. Whether this is comprised of existing friends or perhaps new communities found via running apps or online forums, the impact of additional support on motivation levels is astounding.
In addition to that, setting appropriate and steady goals is useful as a means of monitoring your progress and achievements over the long term. Having a game plan can help you to organize your training in the lead-up to significant races or milestones. Ingebrigtsen has had these things throughout his career so far and has always strived to improve on previous performances.
Ingebrigtsen is likely to be one of the biggest names in running for many years and is a testament to the idea of working hard to achieve great successes. Truly an inspiration for future athletes, it will be interesting to see how Ingebrigtsen continues to build on his accolade.