Already in July, the organizer announced that Jakob Ingebrigtsen is coming to Brussels with big ambitions: World record in 2000 metres. And to make the job easier for the Norwegian, three hares have been brought in to drag the 22-year-old towards the goal as easily as possible. According to the organiser’s plans, the first 800 meters will be passed in a lightning fast 1.52 minutes. Lysharen has also set a world record speed, the first 800 meters in 1.53.4. – It sounds like an atypical arrangement for Jakob. I don’t think that’s a good idea, says news’s athletics commentator Jann Post. COMMENTATOR: Jann Post. Photo: Sigmund Sagberg Andersen / news And Ingebrigtsen’s agent Daniel Wessfeldt tells news that there may be changes to the plans. – They will have a meeting on Friday, where they will make some adjustments. It’s a bit about where to go fast in the race and where not, says the Swede. When Ingebrigtsen ran to a personal record of 1500 meters in Chorzów this summer, he passed 800 meters in a time of 1.51.6. The hare who passed 800 meters first, Erik Sowinski, then passed in 1.50.8. Ingebrigtsen’s 2000 meter race plan This is how the organizer has provisionally laid out the race plan for Jakob Ingebrigtsen in Brussels. Mounir Akbache: Will pass 800 meters in 1.52 minutes. Boaz Kirpugut: Shall take Jakob on to 1100 metres, with passing 1000 meters in 2.21. Cornelious Tuwei: Runs to 1300 meters in world record speed. Aim for a finish time of 4.44 minutes. The race is broadcast on news 1 and news TV at 20.56. The broadcast starts at 19.30. See the Diamond League vote from Brussels here. – There are no guarantees – How likely is a world record? – It actually seems affordable, says Vebjørn Rodal as he studies the lap times from 1999. Then Hicham El Guerrouj set the current world record for 2000 metres. On September 7, 24 years ago, he ran the distance of 4.44.79 in Berlin, but now Rodal believes that the record has finally fallen. RECORD: El Guerrouj (left) after the world record for 2000 metres. Together with, among others, Trine Hattestad (on the right). Photo: AP – If Jakob is in the form he was in earlier this summer, he should have no problem with that. Or a problem… now it sounds simple, but he has good opportunities, says news’s athletics expert, with the caveat that the runner’s ass has shaken off the illness that plagued him in the WC. El Guerrouj’s lap times This is how Hicham El Guerrouj’s laps went when the 2000 meter record was set in 1999: Lap 1: 57.9 seconds Lap 2: 57.5 seconds Lap 3: 57.0 seconds Lap 4: 57.2 seconds Lap 5 : 55.2 seconds Time to finish: 4.44.79 minutes In June, Ingebrigtsen set a world record for two English miles (3218.69 metres). Later in the season, he lowered his own personal record of 1,500 meters several times. No later than 3.27.14 in Chorzów in July. – The speed he maintained in the last 2000 meters during the race of two English miles is not that far behind what is required now. All indications are that he is nearby, but there are no guarantees here. It requires him to go in wholeheartedly, Post believes. When Narve was Jacob’s hare The first time Ingebrigtsen ran 2000 metres, in 2020, it was a European record of 4.50.01. This means that he stands as the sixth fastest in history over the distance, before the race on Friday. That time he had Narve Gilje Nordås with him as a hare, among other things. A lot has happened since then, and in Brussels the compatriot is competing in the 2000 metres. DRAGHELP: Narve Gilje Nordås behind training buddy Per Svela, both racing for the brothers Ingebrigtsen. Photo: Vidar Ruud / NTB His personal best is all the way back from 2013 and reads 6.17.21. – It will be pointless to look at that time. Now he comes here as one of the world’s best at 1500 metres, says Post. This is how he should attack the record In his best races of 1500 metres, Ingebrigtsen ran the first 1000 meters in around 2.20 minutes. If he manages it twice in a row, he is well ahead of the world record. EXPERT: Vebjørn Rodal believes in Ingebrigtsen’s record. Photo: Sigmund Sagberg Andersen / news Perhaps El Guerrouj’s strongest weapon was his sister rounds. Under the 2000 record, he ran the last 400 meters in 55.2 – a time Rodal doubts will scare Ingebrigtsen. – It is not the very powerful sister round. That’s a speed Jakob can handle. – How much does it matter that there are 500 meters extra in this race than in a 1500 meter? – For a trained 1,500 meter runner, it is a lot. For Jakob, who is so good at 5000 metres, it is not that much tougher. El Guerrouj passed the first 1500 meters in 3.35.3 under the record. It might make sense to add a small buffer to that, says Rodal about how Ingebrigtsen should attack the race on Friday.
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