– I think it was more embarrassing for them than for me, says Narve Gilje Nordås to news. This is how the running star sums up the somewhat special award ceremony during the World Indoor Tour Gold Madrid 2024 event on Friday. There, several athletes stood in a row while they were given flowers and trophies in turn. The only one who did not receive a prize was the Norwegian star. ATHLETICS PROFILE: Narve Gilje Nordås. Photo: Beate Oma Dahle / NTB The 25-year-old from Klepp first looked somewhat confused before he eventually trudged away empty-handed from the ceremony. – Someone has to give him something, please, exclaims the commentator on the international broadcast. It was VG who first mentioned the special moment from the arena in Madrid. – Humiliating In retrospect, Nordås has understood that he was not actually supposed to take part in this particular award ceremony. – It was a bit annoying as I was interrupted in the middle of jogging because it was very important that a winner should attend the prize ceremony. So slightly humiliating when you understood that it was an award for the overall winners, which I was not, he says and adds: – I basically think the whole thing was comical and took it with a smile while the organizer complained terribly. The TV images show that Nordås finally got a bouquet of flowers in her hand when the ceremony was over. AT THE END: Narve Gilje Nordås received a bouquet of flowers after the ceremony was over. Photo: Images courtesy of VGTV The organizer’s explanation news contacted the organizer in Madrid to find out what happened. They explain that it was all a misunderstanding. Luis Saladie, competition director of the Royal Spanish Athletics Federation (RFEA), explains that all winners from the competition in Madrid were to receive a bouquet of flowers, and that the Madrid City Council, which was the main sponsor of the event, presented prizes to the best male and female athletes. In addition, prizes were awarded to the overall winners of the indoor championship. – Nordås received flowers after his race, but despite his excellent performance, he was not named best male athlete, nor overall winner of the indoor championship, writes Saladie to news. He claims that Nordås was asked not to attend the award ceremony. – We apologize for this situation where there have clearly been some misunderstandings, writes Saladie, who wishes Nordås a warm welcome to other events in Spanish cities. Smashed own record Even though the prize-giving did not go as planned, at least Nordås did his job under the 3000 meters earlier in the evening. The running star struck with a time of 7:41.28. It is just a second behind Jakob Ingebrigtsen’s Norwegian record. The 25-year-old thus erased his own record of 7.45.39. Ingebrigtsen’s record is 7.40.32. – I got the answers I wanted, but I feel I had more in me, says Nordås. Training mate Per Svela also set a new record for the distance with 7.47.86. He finished seventh. Gilje Nordås will compete in the indoor WC in Glasgow next weekend. There he will run 1500 metres. None of the Ingebrigtsen brothers compete in the championship.
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