The outstanding Jakob

Four athletes already have a ‘Q’ next to their name: Kenyans Timothy Cheruiyot and Vincent Kibet, Ayanleh Souleiman from Djibouti and the Norwegian phenomenon Jakob Ingebrigtsen. To qualify him as a ‘phenomenon’ is really not exaggerated. Last year Jakob Ingebrigtsen realised a historic double by winning gold at the European Championships in Berlin in both the 1500 and the 5000 meters. A 17-year-old youngster who becomes double European champion in two exhausting distance events. This was never seen before !

The fact that his brothers – Henrik in 2012 and Filip in 2016 – also won European titles in the 1500 meters, gives the story an extra dimension. In Berlin they even were all three in the final, with Henrik finshing fourth and Filip twelfth. In the 5000 meters there were ‘only’ two brothers in the final, but they finished in first and second with Jakob taking gold and Henrik silver.

Just like the Borlée brothers, the Ingebrigtsen brothers are coached by their father. Gjert is the name of the Norwegian Jacques. That is where the name Team Ingebrigtsen comes from and logically that is also the name of a reality soap based on this exceptional athletics family, which started in 2016 and that is very popular in Norway and even across the national Norvegian borders.

In the IAAF Diamond League, the Ingebrigtsen family is able to write a new golden page this year. Filip Ingebrigtsen ranks actually fifth in the Road to the Final of the 1500 meters and is likely to earn a ticket for Brussels. And Henrik Ingebrigtsen is already sure to qualify for the final of the 5000 meters, which will be held in Zurich.

Three strong brothers, but Jakob is the most outstanding of them all !