FLORENCE, Italy — Norwegian youngster Jakob Ingebrigtsen broke a 21-year-old European record as he won the 5,000 meters at the Diamond League meeting at Florence on Thursday.
Ingebrigtsen posted a time of 12 minutes, 48.45 seconds to surpass the European mark of 12:49.71 set by Mohammed Mourhit of Belgium in 2000.
It was also a personal best for the 20-year-old Norwegian — who had never run the distance in under 13 minutes — as well as the world leading time this year. There is just over a month until the Tokyo Olympics.
“Today it was like winning a gold medal. It is pretty crazy,” Ingebrigtsen said. “I was expecting a PB, because it has been two years since my last PB. I was most likely to run under 13 minutes, but this European record is incredible.
“Now I have to be able to win a medal, too. If I am able to win against the best runners, then I can also win at the Olympics. I am always excited to race. I did not expect this time and this record.”
World-record holder Joshua Cheptege finished sixth, six seconds behind Ingebrigtsen.
Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands came within half a second of a world record in the women’s 1,500. Her meeting record of 3:53.63 saw her beat Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon, despite the Kenyan running a personal best and national record.
Dina Asher-Smith also set a Golden Gala meet record in the 200. The world champion’s time of 22.06 was just 0.03 off Shaunae Miller-Uibo’s world-leading mark this year.
Jamaica’s Omar McLeod set a world lead and meet record of 13.01 in the men’s 110 hurdles, while Jasmine Camacho-Quinn of Puerto Rico clocked 12.38 to surpass the women’s 100 hurdles meet record that had stood since 1980.
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