The Norwegian superstar will run over 13.1 miles in the Danish capital just two days after his Diamond League 1500m win
The talk is over. Jakob Ingebrigtsen will run the half-marathon in Copenhagen (September 15) and the anticipation could not be greater.
Ingebrigtsen will make his debut over 13.1 miles just two days after claiming victory in the 1500m at the Diamond League final in Brussels.
The Norwegian will be entering the unknown and the Copenhagen Half will be by far the longest competitive race of his career.
Ingebrigtsen does have a 10km personal best of 27:54 – still a European U20 record – but that was set all the way back in 2019.
“I’m looking forward to test myself in the half marathon for the first time, in Copenhagen,” said Ingebrigtsen. “Normally this is a distance that would suit my training very well but after a long season on the track working towards the 1500m, it’s exciting to see if I even can reach the finish line.”
For days, rumours have persisted that Ingebrigtsen would make his half-marathon debut in Copenhagen.
Throughout the Brussels Diamond League, including in both the press conference and mixed zone, the 23-year-old kept his cards close to his chest.
Jakob Ingebrigtsen (Getty)
After claiming the 1500m crown, Ingebrigtsen teased his 2024 campaign wasn’t totally over, posting on Instagram: “What a great way to end the season… or?”.
The Norwegian has opened up about his ambitions to break up to 10 world records during his career, which essentially means everything from 1500m to the marathon.
Breaking the world half-marathon record of 57:31, set by Jacob Kiplimo in 2021, may have to wait a few years but Julien Wanders’ European mark of 59:13 from 2019 could be a target.
Ingebrigtsen will actually stand shoulder to shoulder with Kiplimo and reigning world 10km champion Sabastian Sawe, in what is set to be a blockbuster race in Denmark.
Jacob Kiplimo (Getty)
“When an Olympic gold medalist chooses to run in Copenhagen it’s because the city, the course and the audience deliver something special,” said Dorte Vibjerg, CEO of Sparta Athletics & Running.
“It is an excellent opportunity to be able to offer the spectators and the participants to experience an icon like Jakob Ingebrigtsen in a duel with both the world champion and the world record-holder in the half-marathon. For us, this underlines why Copenhagen Half Marathon is sold out in record time and why Copenhagen has been selected to host the World Championships in 2026.”
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