With a time of 7.17.55, Jakob Asserson Ingebrigtsen wrote athletics history in Polish Chorzów on Sunday. Almost 28 years since Daniel Komen ran 7.20.67 in Rieti, Italy, on 1 September 1996, Ingebrigtsen smashed the world record in the 3000 metres. On the inner court, a former rival was central in helping Ingebrigtsen. At each pass, Marcin Lewandowski shouted out the lap times, so that the Norwegian would have as good control as possible. Polish Lewandowski is now helping to organize the Diamond League event in his home country, after he was among Ingebrigtsen’s foremost competitors early in his career. Among other things, Lewandowski took bronze in the 1,500 meters at the WC in 2019, just ahead of Ingebrigtsen. – My job was to stand on the inside and cheer him on. I screamed the lap times and motivated him. That’s what he likes, says Lewandowski to news, before he then reveals further help: – So you should take some of the credit for the world record? – To be honest, I should have a slightly larger share of the credit. I was the one who made sure he got new spiked shoes, reveals Lewandowski. – Fixed it in the middle of the night According to the 37-year-old, Ingebrigtsen had problems with his spiked shoes shortly before the race. Thus, Lewandowski had to throw himself around to help his former rival. He also succeeded in that in the end. – I fixed it in the middle of the night. He got new shoes for the event and he set a world record, says Lewandowski with a big smile. FORMER RIVALS: Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Marcin Lewandowski had several duels on the running track. Here from when Ingebrigtsen took EC gold in the 1500 meters indoors in 2021, ahead of Lewandowski. Photo: ALEKSANDRA SZMIGIEL / Reuters Ingebrigtsen’s agent, Swedish Daniel Wessfeldt, confirms the story. – It was bloody dramatic last night. Jakob went to the stadium for a light training session and to get to know the pitch. Then one spiked shoe was destroyed. It’s a spiked shoe you can’t buy anywhere, they’re really special and unique, says Wessfeldt to news. – So then the question became where to get hold of a similar spiked shoe. Then they were very helpful here in Poland. Someone in the management knew someone who had a running shop. But that doesn’t mean they had those spiked shoes, says the Swede, and continues: – They had a pair in exactly his size. The shop was closed, but they were able to open it this morning. Then he (Ingebrigtsen) got the shoes for breakfast. Take action for the future Wessfeldt says he is unsure what Ingebrigtsen would have done if he had not received the new shoes. – I had difficulty sleeping, because it had become hell, says Wessfeldt. – These are not shoes that ordinary people buy. The spiked shoes are special and he doesn’t want just anything. He wants the model he uses, explains the Swede. Wessfeldt says that from now on Ingebrigtsen will travel with two pairs of spiked shoes, in case one pair is damaged, to avoid similar situations in the future. STAR AGENT: Daniel Wessfeldt has, among others, Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Armand Duplantis in the stable. Photo: BILDBYRÅN Was scared of the heat Lewandowski is speechless with admiration for Ingebrigten’s performance, which happened in the middle of a scorching sun in just over 30 degrees. – I knew he was ready for the world record, but when I saw the weather, I was very scared. It was absolutely crazy hot. I’m sure that if it was colder, he could have run two or three seconds faster, he says. Ingebrigtsen himself was surprised by breaking the world record so strongly. On Saturday, he believed that a race of 7.18 would not happen in this century, before he got under that limit the very next day: Published 25/08/2024, at 22.55 Updated 25.08.2024, at 22.58
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