Wednesday's Golden Race was the sixth of a possible six races in Ingebrigtsen's already creditable EC career. For the third time in a row, the athletics phenomenon travels from Sandnes with double gold in the 1500 and 5000m races respectively.
-I can no longer be a little boy. This was very good. It felt great during the warm-up and felt incredibly responsive. It feels incredibly delicious,” Ingebrigtsen told NRK after the finish line.
– This is as good as I hoped. He continued: “The championship record is of course a beautiful thing above all else.”
Ingebrigtsen set a new championship record with 3.31.95.
-You will be looking for a more outstanding performer for a long time. He made the EC Final look like a circuit tournament. “It's quite unique that Norway has this kind of artist,” says NRK commentator Jan Post.
– legend
Ingebrigtsen is now the male athlete with the most European Union gold medals of all time. Before Wednesday's victory, he shared the record with the legend Mohamed Farah (Great Britain), Harald Schmid (Germany), Mohieddine Mekhissi Benabad (France) and Roger Black (Great Britain).
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– Today was about winning, but at the same time I was looking for answers in every race, and today I got a lot of good answers. “I can run,” Ingebrigtsen said, closing his eyes.
He continued: “There is a feeling of relief.”
Sandra Elkacevic, formerly Berkovic, is the European Championships women's winner with seven golds in the discus.
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Ingebrigtsen's gold also secured a new Norwegian medal record at the European Championships.
– It's a great end to a very good tournament for us. Jacob delivers again. He has become a legend,” Erlend Slokvik, sports director at the Norwegian Athletics Federation, told NRK.
Great favorite
The 23-year-old achieved a fairytale ending when he won the 5,000 meters in style on Saturday. The Sandnes runner was the favorite heading into the final evening in Rome.
– I can mention (Isaac) Nader from Portugal. I could mention (Azzedine) Habs from France and (Neil) Gurley from Great Britain, but that's just to try and create some excitement that might not already be there, said NRK athletics expert Vibjörn Rodale before the 1,500 metres.
At the beginning of August, Ingebrigtsen will defend his Olympic gold medal in the 1,500 metres. The 23-year-old runner from Sandnes began his outdoor season this year by placing second in the 1,500 meters at the Diamond League Meeting in Eugene, before winning the corresponding distance at the Bislett Games at the end of last May.
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