He has beaten Jakob Ingebrigtsen several times, and unlike the Norwegian, has a WC gold in the 1500 metres. Now Elijah Manangoi hopes to once again take up the fight with Ingebrigtsen. The world champion from 2017 hopes to hatch a Kenyan championship plan together with Timothy Cheruiyot and Abel Kipsang, two other good 1500-meter runners from the strong athletics nation. – As a country, we must sit down together and discuss what is the best way to beat the Norwegian in the WC, says Manangoi to Capital Sports. Cheruiyot was Ingebrigtsen’s nemesis for a long time, and it wasn’t until the Olympic final in the 1500 meters that the Norwegian managed to beat him. Kipsang came 4th in the same race. OLYMPIC CHAMPION: Jakob Ingebrigtsen beats Timothy Cheruiyot for the first time. That secured him Olympic gold. Photo: Stian Lysberg Solum / NTB news’s athletics expert Vebjørn Rodal sees Ingebrigtsen as a superb distance champion right now, and thinks there is a little too much Egon Olsen over Manangoi’s ingenious plan. – If the goal is to beat Jakob, they shouldn’t sit still and plan for a very long time. Then they have to go out and run. Then you have to train a lot, straight and hard, says Rodal. – Is it actually possible to create a team tactic for 1500 metres? – No, it is difficult without being rude or by challenging the rules. It is demanding. When one runner is stronger than the others, the goal to get better must be good training. EXPERT: Vebjørn Rodal follows athletics closely. Photo: Lise Åserud / NTB Back from the doping verdict, Manangoi says that his big goals for the season are the WC in Budapest in August. In that case, it will be his big international comeback after a doping conviction. In November 2020, the Kenyan was banned for two years for several breaches of the obligation to report. Manangoi ran some races last year, with 3.37.03 as the season’s best. This year, he has made his season debut with 3.46.41 – approximately 14 seconds slower than Ingebrigtsen ran indoors in Lievin in February. – I don’t think he looked that good afterwards (of the verdict). I had faith in my brother, George, for a while, but he has not developed as I had thought, says Rodal. – The 1500 meters on the men’s side has been tough since the last time I competed, admits Manangoi himself. He has not responded to news’s request for an interview for this case. DUEL: Manangoi and Ingebrigtsen have previously met at 1,500 meters and the English mile. Here from 2018. Photo: Kalle Parkkinen Lehtikuva / NTB Cheruiyot still seems to have the confidence in place. Athletics legend Michael Johnson recently asked on Twitter if there were any middle-distance runners who were as cool (“swagger”) as Ingebrigtsen. And got a clear answer from the Kenyan. – I’ll let you count how many times I’ve beaten him at 1,500 metres/English miles. “Over the top” Rodal is most excited about what kind of new, young Kenyan stars will emerge. He suspects that Cheruiyot is “over the top” and that it is starting to pay off for Manangoi as well. – They must accept that an extremely good job must be done, the question is whether you managed it as a 30-year-old. Rodal highlights the environment around coach Patrick Sang as a running group in Kenya with great success. Both Olympic champion in the 1500 meters Faith Kipyegon and marathon king Eliud Kipchoge have their training days here. The latter has recently highlighted “vitamin N” – the ability to say “no” – as a key factor behind the success. You have to devote all your energy to the sport. – If they are going to take up the fight with Jakob, structure is a key word. You really have to decide on a plan and to implement all aspects of it, says Rodal about the plan of Manangoi and co. PS! The man who cheated Ingebrigtsen for the WC gold in the 1500 meters last summer, Jake Wightman, lost the indoor season with an injury and is an uncertain card before the outdoor season.
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Doping convict Elijah Manangoi with Jakob Ingebrigtsen’s plan
