Guillaume Marion, Media365: published on Friday, May 15, 2026 at 13:10
Currently recovering from an Achilles tendon operation, Jakob Ingebrigtsen took the time to discuss Jimmy Gressier’s world champion title in the 10,000m obtained last year.
A true middle-distance star for a few years now, Jakob Ingebrigtsen needs to rest a bit at the moment. Indeed, operated on his left Achilles tendon last February, the Norwegian (25 years old) is currently convalescing. While he does not plan to rush his return to competition and is not expected to compete before the end of the summer, the double Olympic champion (in the 1,500m in Tokyo and the 5,000m in Paris) recently gave an interview to L’Équipe.
This was an opportunity for Ingebrigtsen to give his opinion on Jimmy Gressier, who was crowned world champion in the 10,000m to everyone’s surprise last September in Tokyo, beating out Ethiopian Yomif Kejelcha. “It all comes down to dedicating one’s life to a goal. Perhaps this was lacking a bit in France, notably due to the dominance of certain athletes,” first explained the Norwegian.
“Ingebrigtsen: ‘Jimmy did the necessary work'”
“It seemed impossible to win. And when something seems impossible, we don’t even try, and we certainly don’t dedicate our lives to it. Today, we see Europeans, Americans, and other athletes dedicating their lives to this sport because they have seen that it is achievable. Jimmy’s world championship proves that no matter where you come from, no matter your background, it all comes down to training, discipline, and preparation,” he later declared, the current record holder of several middle-distance world records.
“Jimmy did the necessary work for years. I was already competing against him in 2016, and he’s still running today. With ten years of very high-quality training, it makes sense to become an excellent runner. It’s inspiring to see,” Ingebrigtsen also acknowledged to the French sports daily. “I don’t want competition to influence my rehabilitation. But when I’m ready to race, I will take risks, of course,” he also added.
