The battle between Cheruiyot and Ingebrigtsen has the potential to define an Olympic event.
For Timothy Cheruiyot and Jakob Ingebrigtsen, what began at the Tokyo Games in 2020 will continue at the Paris Games in 2024. Tim Clayton via Getty Images and Corbis
There are several legendary, long-standing rivalries amongst elite athletes that will be present at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
The D’Tigress of Nigeria overcome obstacles to defeat Australia 43mColin Udoh
In track and field, who are Africa’s top contenders for an Olympic medal?
The men’s marathon pits Eliud Kipchoge against Kenenisa Bekele, the men’s high jump pits Mutaz Essa Barsham and Gianmarco Tamberi against each other, and maybe the women’s 100m race, where Sha’Carri Richardson faces Shericka Jackson and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, two Jamaican competitors.
The eternal battle between Timothy Cheruiyot and Jakob Ingebrigtsen in the men’s 1500m is one rivalry that merits discussion in the same sentence. It is a one-on-one competition inside a competition that has defined both men’s careers and driven them to improve their skills in an effort to defeat the other.
ESPN was told by Kenya’s Cheruiyot that “rivalry is good.” “I never back down from a race. When and where I can, I’ll be there as long as it works with my season schedule.
“At first, I was the one who was in control and consistently won. At one point, I held the top spot in the world rankings for 173 weeks in a row, but Jakob has been defeating me lately.”
With a time of 3:28.32 in Tokyo, Ingebrigtsen is the clear favourite to win the gold at the competition in Paris. In July of this year, he established the world record in Monaco with a time of 3:26.73, despite a field that is getting stronger by the day.
After the Kenyan’s victory in 2019, Ingebrigtsen won gold in Tokyo, forcing Cheruiyot to settle for silver. The Norwegian also defeated his opponent to win gold at the 2022 and 2023 World Championships.
The long-standing, healthy competition between Timothy Cheruiyot and Jakob Ingebrigtsen has defined several men’s 1500m events. Petersen, Christian/Getty Images
Things weren’t always like this.
The pair’s first major meeting was in 2019 at the Lausanne Athletissima, where Ingebrigtsen, who was only 19 at the time, famously placed second only behind Cheruiyot. Even though Ingebrigtsen broke a European U-20 record and set a personal best in the process, it was evident that the pack leader had to contend with a young lion who would have an impact on the East African’s final medal haul. Kenyan athletes may have won, but Ingebrigtsen’s performance stole the show.
Cheruiyot leads Ingebrigtsen by one 1500m gold in the Diamond League, but the European has won more recently, defeating his opponent by three hundredths of a second in a thrilling finish to the Oslo Diamond League race in May.
On that particular occasion, Ingebrigtsen’s last-ditch dive across the finish line caused him to win at Cheruiyot’s expense, despite Cheruiyot catching up to and then threatening to overtake his competitor down the final straight.
This time, at home, it was the young lion who discovered the sensation of his enemy breathing down his neck and jeopardising his position at the top of the podium, a look of terror spreading across his usually unwavering features.
The 28-year-old said, “I can’t wait to race at my second Olympics and to race against the very best in the world.” Although we did run into one other in the gym the morning after the Oslo DL, Jacob and I don’t usually talk to each other before events. Cheruiyot laughed, “He asked whether I was going to be practicing my diving.” “We laughed over it.”
Tatjana Smith is “grateful” for her gold medal in the breaststroke at the Paris Games.Tatjana Smith, a swimmer from South Africa, expressed her gratitude on social media following her gold medal win in the breaststroke at the Paris Games.
Ingebrigtsen placed fourth at the 2019 Doha World Championships, the 28-year-old’s last big competition victory. He won gold there. Since then, Cheruiyot has battled ailments that peaked at the World Athletics Championship in Budapest last year, despite the Norwegian’s increasing prominence.
Just minutes before the semifinal started, he had a knee injury while warming up. As a result, he missed nine months of competition, during which time his unique forward-leaning running style was noticeably absent from important athletics competitions.
The “Chariot” went on, “I was really disappointed not to make it to the final in the Budapest Worlds.” Since the start of my career, it was the first time I had ever missed the World Championship final.
“It was the worst knee injury I have ever had in my career. I needed to enforce tight rehab guidelines, have access to medical professionals with worldwide experience, and support from my Nairobi home.
“What matters most is that I’m injury-free right now.”
The previous world champion’s injury wasn’t the first to slow him down; Cheruiyot previously disclosed that he struggled with fitness before to his silver medal-winning performance at the most recent Olympics.
“I was taking care of a hamstring issue while I was in Tokyo, but happily, my body is feeling much stronger thanks to a lot of hard training and rehabilitation since Budapest.
“This is a wonderful confidence-builder since my races in the Diamond League, which were in Doha, Oslo, and Monaco, have all shown me where my shape is. I’ve gone from 3:31 to 3:29 to 3:28.” Ingebrigtsen may have won the race once more, but Cheruiyot was convinced that the Norwegian was back to his best because of his desperate attempt to cross the finish line in order to win.
Being my first 1500m event since Budapest nine months prior, I was anxious coming into the Doha DL in May. However, I was pleasantly surprised, and the next two events [were proof] that I was back, particularly the close race in Oslo with Jakob.
Cheruiyot and his long-time opponent appear to have established a great deal of mutual respect, and both are obviously looking forward to facing off against one another once more when the heats start on August 2.
Cheruiyot said, “Your competition will always keep you on your toes.” “It’s not just Jakob; it’s also my fellow rising Kenyans, Oliver Hoare [AUS], Josh [Kerr, GB], Yared Nguse [USA], and Jake.
“However, in terms of speed, I rank… second to Jakob.”
In the 1500m final on August 6, Cheruiyot will undoubtedly get the opportunity to demonstrate his mettle against young lion Ingebrigtsen once more.
Leave a Reply