Posted by Ingebrigtsen Chat – NRK Sport – Sports news, results and broadcast schedule

Luke McCann sat excitedly in the 'communication room' during the European Championships in 2021. This is where athletes sit hidden from the rest of the field and wait before going out to compete.

Here the final preparations are made, you are off to war, and the atmosphere can be clear.

McCann was very nervous today. The night before, the start lists for the European Championships heat trials were ready, and he thought 'Oh no, Jakob is running in the same heat as me'.

Now the Irish middle-distance runner sat next to the Norwegian in the “communication room”. In order to ease the mood and stress, he decided to start a conversation.

– Jacob has an aura

McCann didn't know if this would be the last tournament he would participate in. Nor whether this was the last time he would have the opportunity to compete against Ingebrigtsen – an athlete he admires. And seize the opportunity:

McCann asked: “How do you make it look so easy?”

Ingebrigtsen began to laugh, and replied:

“Because he He is easy”.

– He has a mentality that says, “I'm better than everyone else.” He has consistently shown that he is the best coach in the world. And yes, he makes it look easy because of it He is McCann says of today's episode that it was easy for him.

Is he arrogant or self-confident?

– I mean there's a difference between being “cocky” And to have self-confidence. He has both,” the 26-year-old says with a smile.

McCann has no regrets about taking the opportunity and hassling the star runner before the race.

McCann believes Ingebrigtsen can create fear in the “call room” because of his track record, but everyone needs to normalize the situation and ease the tension.

– Jacob has an aura. So I think some people are afraid to go to him to chat.

– But I treat him like everyone else. And to be honest, I think that's what he wants. He doesn't want to be alone – alone at the top. He just wants to be one of the guys that travels and competes,” says the Irishman.

Warholm: -The worst you can meet

400 Meter Hurdles Thomas Parr compared the “contact room” to Gulag. Carsten Warholm can also recognize the special atmosphere between contestants before an important competition.

– When I was younger, I was probably the worst person you could meet “Contact room”. The person who thinks this is just nonsense and is happy to be there laughs.

Over the years, the code of how to act in a room has changed and cracked. Because there, secretly, there is also a psychological game unfolding.

– After all, I'm looking for every opportunity to make some progress, Sonmoringen says of the unfolding mental battle.

“Strong sweat odor”

Because coaches are not allowed in the call room. Indeed, here it is athlete against athlete, and you can achieve a small victory on your way to the big victory.

– Here you are at the utmost loneliness, to use that word. Right before you get in and run away. A lot of stress builds up. Nothing bad happens there, more or less, but it's an interesting study of how people relate to each other, Warholm says.

– In what way do you gain land then?

– You don't have to outsmart someone, but this is probably where you're more vulnerable to being noticed.

– DrA lot of expectations, a lot of nerves, and not everyone can hide that either. People are easy to read “Call room,” he says.

As he grew older and expectations rose, Warholm grew quieter in the room. He also knows what's at stake as one of the top candidates.

– When you know that this race is going to define your career in some way… as it was for me and the competitors at the Tokyo Olympics. You can smell a little sweat in there, and yes, the Olympic champion is smiling.

Follow EC Athletics on NRK. The first day of the competition is Friday, June 7, get a full overview of the program here.