Ingebrigtsen delights home fans in Oslo

OSLO, Norway (AFP) — Jakob Ingebrigtsen ensured a raucous end to a thrilling Diamond League meeting in front of his home fans in Oslo by hurling himself over the line to snatch victory in the men’s 1500-meter run.

A more dramatic finish to the thrilling schedule could not have been better scripted on a night of shocks that saw five other reigning Olympic champions — including Ingebrigtsen’s Norwegian teammate Karsten Warholm — upstaged.

For Ingebrigtsen, beaten over a mile last week by world 1500m champion Josh Kerr, the victory was the perfect tonic with the Paris Olympics now just two months away.

“That was a sprint-off,” said the Norwegian who will target the 1500/5,000m double in the French capital.

“Every day I feel better and better. And defending the titles at the Europeans and Olympics? I think yes.”

While Ingebrigtsen’s dive for the line, bounce back to his feet and his subsequent crouch into a boxer’s pose throwing punches might grab the headlines, the performance of the night undoubtedly went to Ethiopia’s Hagos Gebrhiwet, who clocked the second fastest time ever in the men’s 5,000m.

Total Norwegian delight was denied by the 2022 world champion Alison Dos Santos, who timed 46.63 seconds to win the men’s 400m hurdles.

He seized his opportunity as Warholm clipped the final hurdle, a slight stumble handing the Brazilian just enough track to scramble to the line 0.07 seconds ahead.

There was also disappointment for fellow Olympic champions Shericka Jackson of Jamaica, Italian Marcell Jacobs, Ugandan Joshua Cheptegei and Sweden’s Daniel Stahl.