Ingebrigtsen Breaks World Indoor 1,500m, Mile Records

By: Gyang Dakwo

Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen, the reigning Olympic 5,000-meter champion, set a new indoor mile world record of 3 minutes, 45.14 seconds at the World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold Meeting in France on Thursday.

The 24-year-old Ingebrigtsen, the Olympic 1,500 champion in 2021, had come to the event expressly to better the 3:46.63 record run by American Yared Nuguse at the Millrose Games in New York last Saturday.

“It feels amazing,” said Ingebrigtsen, who had never raced the distance indoors.

“This is what happens in Lievin. I’m a very happy man. You have to be focused for the whole race. It’s tough, but it’s worth it.”

He also broke the indoor 1,500 mark he set on the same track three years ago, clocking 3:29.63 and then holding on for the final half-lap to add the mile record.

Ingebrigtsen is the first athlete since John Landy in 1954 to set world records for the mile and 1,500 in the same race.

Meanwhile, Grant Holloway, the Olympic 110-meter hurdles champion, eased to victory in the 60-meter hurdles.

The American, who is also a double world champion, defeated Wilhem Belocian of France, clocking 7.36 seconds, the best time this season.

Victory was perfect preparation for the 27-year-old ahead of the European Championships and the World Indoors.

“I feel at home on this track,” Holloway said after his fourth consecutive win at the French venue.

Two-time world champion Gudaf Tsegay fell short in her bid to eclipse Genzebe Dibaba’s 3,000-meter record from over a decade ago, having come close to it numerous times.

The Ethiopian had it in her sights at the halfway point, but the pace dropped, and she finished second to world indoor 1,500 champion Freweyni Hailu, who ran 8:19.98 to improve on her world-leading time from Ostrava last week.

Ethiopia also dominated the women’s 1,500 as world road mile champion Diribe Welteji won in 3:58.89, ahead of compatriots Habitam Alemu and Worknesh Mesele.

Jamaica’s Ackera Nugent rebounded from her recent disqualification in New York to take victory in the women’s 60 in a world-best 7.75 seconds

American Grace Stark (7.82) and France’s Laeticia Bapte (7.85) completed the top three.

World silver medalist Leonardo Fabbri won the men’s shot put with a best effort of 21.95 meters.

Former Olympic pole vault champion Katie Moon posted her third world-leading mark in as many competitions this year, clearing 4.83 meters to finish ahead of British world indoor champion Molly Caudery (4.75).

Cuba’s Leyanis Perez Hernandez hit a world-leading 14.62 meters in the women’s triple jump, while Lieke Klaver of the Netherlands won the women’s 400 in 50.76 seconds.