“I was terrible,” admitted Jakob Ingebrigtsen after a shocking exit at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. Vying for gold, the Olympic champion returned to debut his outdoor season, only to see his campaign cut short in the heats. Crossing the line eighth in 3:37.84, Ingebrigtsen closed his 2025 season on a disappointing note. The Norwegian, unbeaten at 5000m in the last two championships, had skipped the summer circuit after an Achilles injury disrupted his rhythm. Yet, it wasn’t defeat at the World Championships that weighed on him; it was something entirely unexpected.

Jakob Ingebrigtsen arrived in Tokyo chasing the one prize missing from his glittering résumé, the elusive 1500m world title . Yet instead of glory, the Norwegian prodigy walked away empty-handed. Losing was on

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