After losing to his arch-rival Josh Kerr in the Prefontaine Classic’s Bowerman Mile, Jakob Ingebrigtsen faced numerous questions. Despite having an Olympic gold medal to his name, critics took every opportunity to make their point. However, at the Monaco Diamond League, Jakob silenced the doubters by setting a European record in the 1500-meter race, clocking the world’s fastest time in the category in nine years.
In a post-race interview, uploaded to the Wanda Diamond League’s YouTube channel, Jacob discussed the significance of this event in tracking his progress ahead of the Paris Olympics.
Clocking 3:26.73, Jacob felt confident. While breaking the European mark, wasn’t his primary aim, he was interested in challenging himself. Understanding the significance of the Olympic Games, he’s ready to seize any opportunity that comes his way.
“Of course, I’m satisfied with my race, and I felt strong, so it’s a very good thing that I grab this opportunity going into the next couple of weeks, and hopefully into a good championship.”
When asked about competing against a pacer in the upcoming Olympics, Jacob responded with a broad smirk on his face, saying:
“How many pacers were there in Rome, and in Tokyo, and in Eugene, and then Budapest? The biggest difference is that I’m always there, so, of course, sometimes doesn’t always go the way I want, but sometimes it do.”
He continued by saying:
“So, for the people that only show up once, of course it is easy to be lucky and succeed, but what’s very difficult is to succeed in 100 of 100 races.”
Jakob’s statement carries weight. With this triumph, he has won all four 1500-meter events, beginning with the Oslo Diamond League and ending with the Monaco Diamond League. The Norwegian has also indicated that he is yet to reach his maximum potential, which he aims to achieve at the Paris Olympics.
Apart from winning the gold medal, his ambition would be to keep ahead of his arch-rival Josh Kerr. The athletes will provide plenty of action in the coming weeks, and this particular 1500-meter competition was previously highlighted by two track legends.
Justin Gatlin and Rodney Green Opines on Josh Kerr and Jakob Ingebrigtsen’s Rivalry
The Prefontaine Classic provided many epic track battles. However, the Mile Sprint was one of the favorites of Justin Gatlin and Rodney Green, who witnessed fierce competition between Josh Kerr and Jakob Ingebrigtsen. The athletes also exchanged a few heated conversations in the pre-race conference, which made the event even more exciting.
While Jakob led initially, Josh changed his strategy and outpaced him in the final lap. This intriguing element was highlighted by Green, and even Gatlin stated how the British athlete stayed true to his words. The four-time world champion also added that both of them are experienced athletes who will bring much action to the current season.
