BRITAIN’S JAKE WIGHTMAN upstaged Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen to win a thriller of a men’s 1500m at the World Athletics Championships on Tuesday.
Ingebrigtsen led at the bell for the final lap, but Wightman stuck with the pace and bolted with 200 metres to go, successfully holding off the Norwegian for victory in 3min 29.23sec.
Ingebrigtsen took silver in 3:29.47, with Spaniard Mohamed Katir claiming bronze (3:29.90).
Kenya’s Abel Kipsang shot to the front from the start, while Ingebrigtsen settled in five back with an outside line at Hayward Field.
With two laps to go, the Norwegian overtook Kipsang and reigning world champion Timothy Cheruiyot as the pack split into single file.
At the bell for the final lap, it was Ingebrigtsen, the two Kenyans and the British pair of Tokyo bronze medallist Josh Kerr and Wightman who accelerated away.
Wightman played Ingebrigtsen at his own game and broke at the bend, pulling away into the home straight.
Ingebrigtsen tried to counter, but the Briton held on for a fantastic win, his father Geoff reduced to a cracked voice as he did the in-stadium commentary.
“That’s my son and he’s world champion,” an emotional Geoff told Hayward Field.
- Show some emotion -
Wightman said of his father’s reaction: “I’m glad he showed some emotion!
“I’ve been with him since I was like 14 probably as a coach and before that my mum said less stuff.
“It’s a special moment for him as well. For him to be part of my journey to get to this point and actually be part of the the actual race itself is so unique that I hope he can celebrate as much as he likes.”
Ingebrigtsen said he had “felt good”.
“But I made some mistakes, I didn’t keep up in the last 200. I’m owning it but somewhat disappointed. But I’m very happy for him. It’s an honor to get a medal of course.”
Wightman said he had been inspired by British teammate Laura Muir’s bronze medal in what was an absolute cracker of a women’s 1500m in Eugene.
“I was pretty inspired watching Laura and it’s hard not to be when she ran as good as that,” he said.
“I just hoped I could replicate and get a medal. That was a bronze or silver. I would have been very happy but to actually come away with flipping gold like that’s the dream.”
Wightman also said he had been touched by Mo Farah’s stunning revelations last week that he was illegally trafficked into Britain as a child.
“Mo’s been a hero since I was a kid. I grew up with him coming through and winning all his global titles and Olympic titles and I’ve been fortunate I’ve spent some time with him,” he said.
“I sit in awe when I’m with him because of how good an athlete he is. And he’s definitely inspired a whole generation of British athletes like me to believe that we can push it to next level.
“I hope that I can inspire another generation of British athletes to try and do the same as me and I’m sure there’ll be plenty more to try and fight me the next couple of years.”
The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!
