Jakob Ingebrigtsen breaks Olympic record to seal gold in the men's 1500m

Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen has had a dream start to his Olympic career by beating world champion Timothy Cheruiyot and setting a new record to win the men’s 1500m at Tokyo 2020.

At just 20, the European Champion is now the second youngest winner of the event. He had set a blistering pace from the start and held on to the lead for the first lap before Kenya’s Cheruiyot overtook him at the Olympic Stadium. But he stayed close on his heels and on the third bend of the closing lap he made his move and overtook the 25-year-old and crossed the line in 3:28.32 to set a new Olympic record. Cheruiyot took silver in 3:29.01.

"I’ve been able to do it, win gold, first try and I feel like I am just getting started," said the delighted new champion on winning the race at just 20 on his Olympic debut. "But at the same time, I have been dreaming of this for my whole life. It’s great. I’ve been struggling with eating for the last couple of weeks because I have been waiting so long for this race. This is what you want as a professional runner."

On being part of a family of runners, including brothers Henrik and Filip Ingebrigtsen, both of whom competed in Rio 2016, he added: “This is not me winning this race. If it wasn’t for my brothers, my family and my fiancee, I wouldn’t be able to do any of this. It’s not just me it is a whole team around me that’s incredible.”

Great Britain’s Josh Kerr set a personal best of 3:29.05 to finish in bronze. He overtook Kenya’s Abel Kipsang on the final stretch, who also finished in a PB of 3:29.05 as did Spain’s Adel Mechaal who finished in fifth in 3:30.77.