Aug 10 (Reuters) – Jakob Ingebrigtsen pulled off a comeback for the ages to retain the 5,000 metres title at the European Athletics Championships on Monday, winning his first race in nearly a year in 13 minutes and 15.29 seconds.
He got past German Florian Bremm (13:15.60) in a thrilling sprint finish down the final straight to collect his seventh gold in the continental championship. Frenchman Etienne Daguinos was third in 13:16.09.
The Norwegian had surgery on his left Achilles in February and only put in six weeks of decent training before lining up at Birmingham – but if he had any nerves, the Olympic champion did not show it.
He casually glanced at his watch as the gun went off before settling into the middle of the pack, biding his time through a sleepy start as the field kept it to a slow 2:45 over the opening kilometre.
With about four laps to go, he began creeping up around the outside of the pack but appeared to be jammed up at the start of the penultimate lap as he was stuck behind Frenchman Jimmy Gressier.
However, the 25-year-old Ingebrigtsen has never lost at the European Championships and he was not about to let it happen, slamming his foot on the gas around the last turn before sprinting through the final metres as the crowd urged him on and broadcasters struggled to find words.
(Reporting by Amy Tennery in New YorkEditing by Christian Radnedge)
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