Nordås put in a strong run in the attempt. During the run, and long before the finish line, he extended his hand to greet Ethiopian star Hagos Gebrehiwet.
– I expected the whole field to come from the upside and sweep me. But nobody came. Then I looked to the side and saw that Gebrhiwet was coming. He ran 12.36. “Then I thought I could push him and congratulate him on the promotion,” Nordas told NRK.
Read more about the Paris Summer Olympics here!
Narve Gilje Nordås beat Hagos Gebrhiwet to advance to the 5000m final. Photo: Beate Uma Dahle/NTB
However, he had doubts about whether he should even attempt to cover the distance at all.
– I was mentally and physically empty yesterday. However, I went to bed early and got almost seven hours of sleep. Then I thought why not (just run). My coach, training partner and agent told me to fail for the rest of the season. It's the Olympics now. The next time will be in four years, Nordas said.
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Super Sprint
The top eight in each 5,000m heat will compete for the precious metal on Saturday evening. And so Nordas won the heat in convincing fashion.
Early on, the 25-year-old settled modestly at the back of the field, letting the competitors do the pulling. After about seven minutes of racing, Nordas easily moved into the lead.
After that, Jærbuen put herself well in the fight for the final, but eventually fell to the back of the field when the pace picked up. The Norwegian's blistering pace meant he managed to finish in the top eight.
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On Tuesday, Nordas finished seventh in the 1,500m final. Then it was clear that the 25-year-old was tired after Jakob Ingebrigtsen set off at a blistering pace.
All six of the top runners scored under 3.30. Nordås finished right at the top.
– There is a lot to be done.
After this effort, Nordas indicated that he finished the race in Paris.
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“It would take a lot for me to stand there (at the 5,000). We have less than half a day left, and I probably won’t sleep until 3 a.m. Then I’ll only have three hours of sleep before I wake up. I don’t think that makes sense. The plan was to run both distances, but when I got what I had here, it would take a lot for me to run the 5,000. I think and hope that Gert (Ingebrigtsen) agrees with that,” Nordas said.
However, on Wednesday morning, the counter-notice came that he would try. And in the French capital's sunshine, the 25-year-old looked particularly good.
– After a good night's sleep, you start to think that the Olympics only happen every four years. It's so terrible to sit at home and regret it. The next time the Olympics happen, there's a lot that could get in the way. That's how he felt. He'd rather regret something he did than regret not starting, his training partner Per Svela told NRK ahead of Wednesday's qualifiers.
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