Currently resting after Achilles tendon surgery, Jakob Ingebrigtsen discussed Jimmy Gressier’s world championship title in the 10,000m last year.

Guillaume Marion, Media365: published on Friday, May 15, 2026 at 1:10 p.m.

As a true middle-distance star for a few years now, Jakob Ingebrigtsen must currently take some time off. Indeed, operated on his left Achilles tendon last February, the 25-year-old Norwegian is currently in recovery. While he is not rushing his return to competition and is not expected to compete before the end of the summer, the double Olympic champion (in the 1,500m in Tokyo and the 5,000m in Paris) recently gave an interview to L’Équipe.

This was an opportunity for Ingebrigtsen to share his thoughts on Jimmy Gressier, who was crowned world champion in the 10,000m as a surprise in Tokyo last September, beating the Ethiopian Yomif Kejelcha. “It all comes down to dedicating your life to a goal. Maybe it was lacking a bit in France, especially due to the dominance of certain athletes,” explained the Norwegian.

Ingebrigtsen: “Jimmy did the necessary work”

“It seemed impossible to win. And when something seems impossible, you don’t even try, and you certainly don’t dedicate your life to it. Today, we see Europeans, Americans, and other athletes dedicating their lives to this sport because they saw that it was achievable. Jimmy being world champion proves that no matter where you come from, no matter your background, it all comes down to training, discipline, and preparation,” later declared the current holder of several middle-distance world records.

“Jimmy did the necessary work for years. I competed against him in 2016, and he is still running today. With ten years of very high-quality training, it is logical to become an excellent runner. It is inspiring to see,” also acknowledged Ingebrigtsen to the French sports newspaper. “I don’t want competition to affect my recovery. But when I am ready to run, I will take risks, of course,” he also revealed.