“He was just the next guy”. Translated into Norwegian: He was just the next guy or the next in line. The quote from Jakob Ingebrigtsen after the final loss in the 1500 meters in the WC quickly became a topic of conversation in the athletics community and created debate. Now the Norwegian tells what he really meant by the statement about Josh Kerr – the gold winner from Budapest. – People who know anything about athletics and running know that in championships there are some who overperform and underperform. That’s the way it is, Ingebrigtsen tells news, shortly after he set a new world record in the 2000 meters in Brussels. – Love or hate what Kerr called Ingebrigtsen “disrespectful” after the statement in the WC. – If he made such comments, it is extremely disrespectful, Kerr told news last week. In an interview with The Times before the weekend, Kerr elaborated on the relationship with the Norwegian. – He is a strong competitor who does not have the respect he should have for his competitors. People either love it or hate it, but it means nothing to me that he doesn’t come over and congratulate me. I always give credit to others and am not afraid to lose, but he is not like that. FIRST: Kerr crosses the finish line ahead of Ingebrigtsen and NordÃ¥s. Photo: Bernat Armangue / AP Big brother Henrik Ingebrigtsen was quick to fight back against his little brother’s boss. – I think it’s a bit poor to go straight on that “oh, it’s disrespectful”, he said to news after the Diamond League convention in Zurich. – Not going high Jakob Ingebrigtsen has lowered his personal record in the 1500 meters to 3.27.14 this season, and was in a special class the biggest favorite over the distance. As the fourth fastest of all time over the distance, the 22-year-old does not believe that he is reporting too hard on the competitors. – No, I don’t go out loud in any way. Everything I’ve done both before and after everything I’ve ever done has been in line with what I’ve performed on the track and field. That you run two and a half seconds worse than you should, he says and continues: – Of course, there is something that is not right. But again, it’s about performing when it matters. As you know, Ingebrigtsen struggled with a fever and a sore throat during parts of the WC. – The show goes on The WC defeat for Kerr was the second in a row for Jakob Ingebrigtsen. Last year it was Kerr’s countryman and childhood friend Jake Wightman who snuck past on the run-up side in the 1500 final. “No,” the Norwegian replies when asked if he has used the time since the WC to shake off the disappointment. Now he just looks ahead. – I move on to the next one quite quickly, but bad performances will always be bad, even if it takes longer. It will last forever. But the show goes on, so you still have to do the work and try to do the best you can to be prepared for the next important things, he says. Jakob Ingebrigtsen’s Diamond League season ends in Eugene in the USA next weekend.
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