There was no world record in the men’s 3000m but Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Yomif Kejelcha enjoyed an epic duel with the Norwegian winning by one hundredth of a second in a European record of 7:23.63.
The target had been Daniel Komen’s long-standing world record of 7:20.67 but the pace drifted away at the halfway mark and it turned into a genuine race as opposed to a time trial with a number of athletes queuing up behind Ingebrigtsen at the bell.
Ingebrigtsen was racing just 24 hours after setting a European mile record of 3:43.73 and here he led down the back straight as Kejelcha moved past fellow Ethiopian Telahun Bekele and into second place on Ingebrigtsen’s shoulder.
Into the home straight Ingebrigtsen held a slender lead and kicked from the front as Kejelcha strained with effort to draw level.
With 50 metres to go Ingebrigtsen turned his head to his right and the danger was there. The Ethiopian, who holds the world indoor mile record, had greater momentum in the closing metres but came agonisingly short as Ingebrigtsen tumbled over the finish line, although it was so close the decision wasn’t known for a few moments.
Like the mile the previous day, the event had amazing depth with Grant Fisher third in a North American record of 7:25.47, Bekele was fourth in 7:25.48, Selemon Barega fifth in 7:26.28, Berihu Aregawi fifth in 7:28.38 and Luis Grijalva also breaking 7:30 with 7:29.43 but finishing only seventh.
Source: AW
