Jakob Ingebrigtsen staged a remarkable comeback at the European Athletics Championships, securing a gold medal in the 5,000m event just months after undergoing Achilles surgery. The Norwegian athlete, who had been out of competition for nearly a year, only resumed training six weeks prior to the event.
Finishing with a time of 13 minutes and 15.29 seconds, the 25-year-old matched the record for the most gold medals won at these championships, totaling seven. Reflecting on his victory, Ingebrigtsen admitted he doubted his prospects until the final moments of the race.
Despite a sluggish start and being boxed in by France’s Jimmy Gressier during the last lap, Ingebrigtsen utilized a powerful late sprint to secure the win. Former marathon world record holder Paula Radcliffe noted the technical difficulty of such a return, emphasizing the physical toll of his recent surgery. With this victory, Ingebrigtsen maintains his undefeated streak in European Athletics Championship finals, a run that includes four consecutive 5,000m titles.
