Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen shattered the world 3000m record in the Silesia Diamond League on Sunday (25) afternoon with 7:17.55 to become the first athlete in history to break the 7:20-barrier for the seven-and-a-half lap distance.
The Olympic 5000m champion slashed more than three seconds off the previous mark of 7:20.67 which had stood to Kenya’s Daniel Komen since 1996, the longest standing world record in an individual men’s track event.
But the 23-year-old Norwegian took the record into uncharted territory, churning out the last two laps in 57.46 and 55.47 respectively - 1:52.93 for the last 800 metres - to break away from Ethiopia’s Berihu Aregawi and take a significant chunk of 3.12 seconds off Komen’s enduring record.
“It feels special, amazing. I was hoping to challenge the world record here but based on my training, I can never predict exactly what kind of time I am capable of. I would not have imagined I could run 7:17, though,” said Ingebrigtsen who was aided to the world records by two pacemakers Pieter Sisk and Vincent Ciattei.
“At the beginning the pace felt really fast, but then I started to feel my way into the race and found a good rhythm. The 3000m is a tough distance. After 4-5 laps you feel the lactic acid, but you need to get going.
“The conditions were difficult with the heat today, but it is the same for everyone. I have a good team. We use ice vests, we make sure I stay hydrated and I am prepared,” added Ingebrigtsen.
Aregawi, who won silver in the 10,000m in Paris 2024, just missed the previous world record in second but was rewarded with an Ethiopian record of 7:21.28 with Yomif Kejelcha third in 7:28.44.
Mike Foppen was eleventh in a Dutch 3000m record of 7:34.47.
Steven Mills for European Athletics
