Archive · 11 Aug 2026
Ingebrigtsen wins fourth straight European 5,000m gold in comeback
A famous runner from Norway named Jakob Ingebrigtsen hurt his leg earlier this year.
He had surgery to fix a problem with a tendon near his heel.
Because of that, he had not raced in a long time.
At the European championships in Birmingham, England, he ran the 5,000-meter race.
Near the end of the race, he was only in third place.
But he sprinted very fast and passed the other runners to win the gold medal.
This is the fourth time in a row he has won this race at the European championships.
A woman from the Netherlands named Jessica Schilder also won gold, throwing a heavy ball called a shot put farther than everyone else.
She has now won that event three times in a row, so both winners are true champions.
Ingebrigtsen is not running his other favorite race this time so his leg can stay healthy.
Jakob Ingebrigtsen won his fourth consecutive 5,000m gold at the European championships in Birmingham, England, in his first race since Achilles surgery.
He finished in 13 minutes, 15.29 seconds, passing Germany's Florian Bremm in the final 50 meters; Bremm took silver and France's Etienne Daguinos took bronze.
The two-time Olympic champion from Norway is skipping the 1,500m in Birmingham despite having won both the 1,500 and 5,000 at the past three European championships.
The Achilles problem was considered a factor in his poor showing at last September's world championships in Tokyo, where he failed to advance from the 1,500 heats and finished 10th in the 5,000.
Jessica Schilder of the Netherlands made it three straight European shot put titles with 20.73m, ahead of silver medalist Jorinde van Klinken (19.64) and bronze medalist Yemisi Mabry (19.50).
- Who
- Jakob Ingebrigtsen of Norway and Jessica Schilder of the Netherlands, competing against other European athletes.
- What
- Ingebrigtsen won his fourth straight European 5,000m title in his comeback from Achilles surgery, while Schilder won her third straight European shot put gold.
- When
- Monday, at the European championships.
- Where
- Birmingham, England (Alexander Stadium).
- Why
- Ingebrigtsen was returning from surgery to clean up scar tissue around his left Achilles tendon; Schilder continued her dominance in the shot put, having surpassed 21 meters in May.
- Event
- European Athletics Championships
- Venue
- Alexander Stadium, Birmingham, England
- 5,000m winner
- Jakob Ingebrigtsen (Norway), 13:15.29
- 5,000m podium
- Florian Bremm (GER) silver; Etienne Daguinos (FRA) bronze
- Shot put winner
- Jessica Schilder (Netherlands), 20.73m
- Shot put podium
- Jorinde van Klinken 19.64m; Yemisi Mabry 19.50m
- Ingebrigtsen streak
- Fourth consecutive European 5,000m title; not competing in the 1,500m in Birmingham
- Ingebrigtsen injury
- Surgery earlier this year to clean scar tissue on his left Achilles tendon