Jakob Ingebrigtsen wants to triple at the 2024 Olympics

Last Thursday, before Norwegian star Jakob Ingebrigtsen ran the world-leading time of 3:29.05 at the Lausanne Diamond League meet, he revealed to the media that he hopes to run the distance triple of 1,500m, 5,000m and 10,000m at the 2023 World Championships and the 2024 Paris Olympics (like Sifan Hassan did at Tokyo 2020).

Ingebrigtsen planned to do the triple at the 2022 European championships in Munich, but COVID-19 prevented him from attaining the qualifying standard before the meet. “I got COVID when I was supposed to race the 10K, so I couldn’t put that into the plan for the summer.”

Instead, he hopes to attempt the triple at the world championships and the 2024 Olympics. He said he hadn’t seen the schedules yet, but added, “I hope World Athletics officials have made it possible.”

On Friday, World Athletics announced the schedule for the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, and here’s what it would require:

Day 1, 7:05 p.m.: 1,500m first round

Day 2, 5:35 p.m.: 1,500m semis

Day 2, 6:25 p.m.: 10,000m final

Day 5, 9:15 p.m.: 1,500m final

Day 6, 7:00 p.m.: 5,000m semis

Day 9, 8:10 p.m.: 5,000m final

The triple would be difficult as currently scheduled. On Day 2, Ingebrigtsen would have to run the 1,500m semi-final and then the 10,000m final within 45 minutes of each other. Is it possible? Yes, but he would need to run conservatively in the semi-final and then has to hope the 10,000m final goes out slowly.

The great Emil Zatopek is the only runner to pull off the triple–at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. Zapotek won the men’s 5,000m, 10,000m and the marathon, breaking Olympic records in each event.

Hassan attempted the distance triple at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo but came up short with a bronze in the women’s 1,500m.

There are a few changes to the 2023 schedule over Eugene 2022. The length of the competition has been changed to nine days (Aug. 19-27), as opposed to the previous 10-day schedule used for the 2022 World Championships. Another change in the time of the finals: all track and field finals will now be scheduled for the evening sessions.

posted Tuesday August 30th
by Running Magazine