INGEBRIGTSEN ADVANCES ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE WORLD ATHLETICS INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS

INGEBRIGTSEN ADVANCES ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE WORLD ATHLETICS INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
By David Monti, @d9monti.bsky.social
(c) 2025 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved, used with permission. 

NOTE: This story was written remotely –Ed.

(21-Mar) – The 20th edition of the World Athletics Indoor Championships opened today in Nanjing, and Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen picked up where he left off at the European Athletics Indoor Championships earlier this month in Apeldoorn by easily winning his 1500m heat.  As in Apeldoorn, the 24 year-old Ingebrigtsen hopes to win both the 1500m and 3000m in Nanjing, a feat only accomplished once before by Ethiopian great Haile Gebrselassie in 1999.

Running in the second of four heats, Ingebrigtsen immediately slipped to the back of the field.  Barely breathing, he was in sixth position with two laps to go before finally moving up to third place at 1100m.  He surged to the lead on the backstretch, and was never challenged, winning in an energy-saving 3:39.80.

“I am glad to get to the final,” Ingebrigtsen told the World Athletics flash quotes team.  “I’m trying to stay out of trouble and reduce the risk of falling, so I’m very happy with the result and looking forward to tomorrow, too, to fight for the medals (in the 3000m).”

Also advancing to Sunday’s final from the back of the field was British team captain Neil Gourley.  Gourley, 30, was in last place through 700m, then moved up to third with three laps to go.  On the backstretch the 2023 European indoor 1500m silver medalist went to the lead followed by the American, Sam Prakel.  The field quickly stretched out behind Gourley who zipped to victory in 3:36.60 which would end up being the fastest time of the round.

“I feel like I didn’t represent myself quite as well in Apeldoorn,” said Gourley, who finished fourth in the European Athletics Indoor Championships.  “So, I came here with a little bit of a point to make.  It fired me up for this one.”

Prakel and Spain’s Adrian Ben battled for the all-important second position because only the top-two finishers from each heat were guaranteed to advance.  Prakel’s form began to break…