On Wednesday night at the 2024 European Championships in Rome, Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen became the first track athlete in history to win six European gold medals, winning the men’s 1,500m with a championship record of 3:31.95. This marks his third consecutive European 1,500m title.
The most decorated male athlete in championships history! 🏆
With 1500m gold, Jakob Ingebrigtsen 🇳🇴 becomes the FIRST male athlete to win six gold medals at the European Championships!
And he’s only 23! 😵💫😵 pic.twitter.com/3bb7ytA3mw
— European Athletics (@EuroAthletics) June 12, 2024
Ingebrigtsen showcased his tactical prowess by initially taking the back of the pack on the first lap. After a swift 56-second start, he surged to the front, slowed the pace, then accelerated again to win gold. He finished two seconds ahead of Belgium’s Jochem Vermeulen and Italy’s Pietro Arese, who both earned their first senior European championship medals.
The Ingebrigtsen family, including Jakob’s brothers Filip and Henrik, have dominated the men’s 1,500m at the European Championships, winning the last five gold medals since 2012. The last three European 1,500m titles have been won by Jakob.
Earlier in the championships, Ingebrigtsen also won gold in the men’s 5,000m event. This is the third time he has achieved the 1,500m/5,000m double at the European Championships, having previously done so in Munich in 2022 and Berlin in 2018.
SIX EUROPEAN TITLES! 🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇
Jakob Ingebrigtsen 🇳🇴 completes the 1500/5000m double for the THIRD time!
And a championship record of 3️⃣:3️⃣1️⃣.9️⃣5️⃣ for 1500m gold! 😮💨#Roma2024 #IgniteTheFire pic.twitter.com/0O7ZXww4tT
— European Athletics (@EuroAthletics) June 12, 2024
Notably absent from the championships was Ingebrigtsen’s rival, 1,500m world champion Josh Kerr, who opted to skip the 2024 European Championships to focus on the British Olympic Trials and the Paris Olympic Games. Earlier this season, Kerr previously got the best Ingebrigtsen in the Bowerman Mile at the Eugene Diamond League in Oregon. He is the only man to beat him twice.
The next likely encounter between Ingebrigtsen and Kerr will be at the Paris Olympic Games.