Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen, still only 23, made another chapter of history at the European Athletics Championships as he completed his third successive European 1500/5000m double, thus becoming the first man to win six individual golds.
Ingebrigtsen, who was just 17 when he ignited his career with a first double at the Berlin 2018 European Athletics Championships, maintained his proud record as he won the Roma 2024 men’s 1500m in a championship record of 3:31.95.
At 23, the Olympic champion is now looking in convincing shape to retain his title in Paris this summer.
Having been overtaken in successive world 1500m finals by late outside overtaking Britons Jake Wightman and Josh Kerr, the Norwegian arrived on the final bend with another estimable Brit at his heels in the form of Neil Gourley.
But this time Ingebrigtsen gave no hint of an opening as he drew inexorably away from all opposition, finishing 10 metres clear.
Behind him there was a chaotic scramble for the minor medals, with Gourley slipping all the way back to ninth as Belgium’s Jochem Vermeulen came through for surprise silver in a personal best of 3:33.30 and bronze went to a dazed and delighted Pietro Arese of the home nation in 3:33.34.
Fourth place went to Vermeulen’s teammate Ruben Verheyden in a personal best of 3:33.40.
“I am definitely satisfied with this Championship,” Ingebrigtsen said. “I might not have had too many races going into this but now I have got all the good answers. I felt pretty good in today’s warm-up but you never really know what to expect."
Hodgkinson overcomes illness to retain her 800m title
The men’s 1500m race had been preceded by an equally masterful demonstration of superiority in the women’s 800m, where Britain’s defending champion Keely Hodgkinson led from start to finish, coming home in 1:58.65.
A late rush on the inside by Slovakia’s Gabriela Gajano offered a swift hint of jeopardy as she claimed silver in 1:58.79, with bronze going to France’s Anais Bourgoin in 1:59.30.
Hodgkinson, 22, already has two world and Olympic silvers, and she told European Athletics earlier this year: "I would like to win in my career as many medals as possible. And I think if I was to miss it (Roma 2024), I’d be missing out on an opportunity. I’d love to look back on my career and say I did this many European Championships and I won this many medals. I don’t want anything to go to waste."
She lived up to her words, although she revealed afterwards she had been in doubt about her ability to do so.
“It was not one of my best performances to be honest. During the heats, I picked up a cold, you can even hear it in my voice. So I was lying in my bed, and I was like: ‘can I run?’ I think I would be disappointed if I could not go. It was entitled to the fans and to myself.
“So I just decided ‘give it a go’ and just had to manage myself throughout the race. These championships are moving to Birmingham in 2026 and that is going to be incredible. I am sure it will be pretty much sold out and I cannot wait to see that.”
Switzerland’s 25-year-old South Sudan-born Dominic Lobalu, who competed for the Athlete Refugee Team at the 2017 World Athletics Championships, won his first major championship title here as he added 10,000m gold to the 5000m bronze secured on Saturday night.
Lobalu, who emerged to prominence by winning the 3000m at the 2022 Stockholm Diamond League and set a personal best of 27:36,29 at this season’s Swiss Championships, led for much of the mid-part of a cagey, tactical race before seizing his moment on the final lap as the whole spectacle sprung into urgent life.
A group of eight had been taken through the bell by Great Britain’s long-time leader Patrick Dever in 27:05.04, but soon the lead had passed to Sweden’s former 800m star Andreas Almgren, whose 2024 personal best of 26:52.87, made him the fastest runner present this year and the second fastest European 10,000m runner of all-time.
The Swede held on until the final 100 metres but then saw three runners stream past him. Lobalu re-emerged to take a lead he would not lose, crossing in 28:00.32 after holding off the urgent challenge of France’s fast-finishing European cross country champion Yann Schrub, who claimed silver in 28:00.48 having won bronze in Munich two years ago.
Bronze was claimed in 28:00.96 by Spain’s Thierry Ndikumwenayo, who won at the European Athletics Team Championships last summer and showed brilliant 5000m form in Oslo last month, setting a personal best of 12:48.10 to move ahead of Ingebrigtsen to second on the European all-time list.
“This result is very important not only for me but for my whole country,” said Lobalu. “I am feeling very emotional at this moment. This is what I was training for for a long time. And when I got the chance to compete here and now to get this medal, I cannot be happier.
“I competed on Saturday and my legs were still not rested, I felt my muscles and had to fight with it a bit so the finish was very tight, especially the last lap was tough. This gold gives me hope for the rest of the season but now I need to go home, sleep from it and also continue hard work.”
Mike Rowbottom for European Athletics
