Jakob Ingebrigtsen pulls out of Ultimate Championship 1,500m, delaying Josh Kerr showdown
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Norway's Jakob Ingebrigtsen (centre) won the men’s 5,000m title on Sept 11 at the lucrative new Ultimate Championship event.
PHOTO: AFP
- Jakob Ingebrigtsen withdrew from the 1,500m race at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship to avoid racing twice in three days as he recovers from Achilles surgery.
- Ingebrigtsen, a two-time Olympic gold medallist, aims to focus on full recovery and future competitions, delaying his rivalry with Josh Kerr.
- The 1,500m final on Sept 13 will still feature top athletes including Kerr, Cole Hocker, Yared Nuguse, Isaac Nader, and Jake Wightman.
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BUDAPEST - Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen has withdrawn from the Sept 13 1,500 metres at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship, postponing a long-awaited showdown with arch-rival Josh Kerr.
Ingebrigtsen, who won the men’s 5,000m title on Sept 11 at the lucrative new event, said he was unwilling to risk racing twice in three days as he continues his comeback from Achilles surgery in February.
The 25-year-old, a two-time Olympic gold medallist, returned to competition only in August after an absence of almost a year due to injury.
“Unfortunately, I’m not in a position to go in back-to-back races,” Ingebrigtsen said, in a video posted on Instagram on Sept 12.
“I would love for it to be different, and to be sharper in terms of recovery, but coming from a very difficult last two years with injury problems and Achilles surgery I am forced to be more sensible than I would like to be.
“Ultimately, it is about getting back into racing, getting back to 100 per cent fitness, and thinking about 2027.”
Ingebrigtsen, who said he made the decision after a treadmill test on Sept 12, added that he had already exceeded expectations simply by returning to elite competition after months of doubt.
He thrilled the sellout crowd on Sept 11 by surging past the field with 100m to go to win the 5,000m.
“Just looking back a short time ago, it is unbelievable that we have been able to get this far in 2026 and be able to be here,” he added.
The withdrawal means another delay in the rivalry between Ingebrigtsen and Britain’s Kerr, with the pair having not faced each other since 2024.
After returning to competition by winning European 5,000m gold in August, Ingebrigtsen reignited their war of words by criticising athletes who skip major championships, comments seen as directed at Kerr, who opted not to defend his European title.
Kerr, who shattered the world mile record in July, responded last week by welcoming Ingebrigtsen’s return to competition, but shrugged off criticism about being very selective with his race schedule.
“I’m a human being at the end of the day. I’m not a robot,” Kerr said, on a video call with reporters. “I think if you want to have a career that’s 10 to 12 years long then you can’t (race all the time).”
The Sept 13 1,500m final will still feature a stellar field led by Kerr, Olympic champion Cole Hocker, Olympic bronze medallist Yared Nuguse, reigning world champion Isaac Nader and 2022 world champion Jake Wightman. REUTERS