European and Paris Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen delivered a powerful performance to claim the men’s 5000m title at the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championships in Budapest. The Norwegian secured a comprehensive victory, finishing in 12:59.24.
Ingebrigtsen, who kept within the pack for much of the race, surged clear in the final 100m. American Cole Hocker finished second in 13:00.05, with Parker Wolfe taking third in 13:00.13.
Following his win, Ingebrigtsen reportedly stated, “Easy work,” and collected a trophy along with a $150,000 winner’s cheque. The athlete is reportedly still recovering from an Achilles injury that required surgery in February.
The 5000m event is described as a warm-up for the 1500m race scheduled for Sunday night. This upcoming event is expected to feature a renewed rivalry between Ingebrigtsen and Hocker, as well as Commonwealth Games champion Josh Kerr.