Athletics-Champion Ingebrigtsen labours into 5,000m final

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By Mitch Phillips

TOKYO (Reuters) – Norway’s double-defending 5,000 metres world champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen and America’s Olympic 1,500m champion Cole Hocker advanced to the final of the 5,000m on Friday where they will hope to make amends for 1,500m frustrations earlier in the week.

Ingebrigtsen, who has been battling to get into race shape after an Achilles injury, went out in the heats of the 1,500m, having been beaten in the final in the last two world championships and at last year’s Olympics, but on all three occasions he bounced back to win the 5,000.

The Norwegian, who turned 25 on Friday, took up his usual position right at the back of the second heat as, with no fast losers going through, the race rolled along at a Sunday jog pace in perfect, cooler conditions after the heat earlier this week.

Ingebrigtsen made his move approaching the bell but his usual smooth acceleration was missing and he ended up battling to the line to snatch the eighth and last qualifying berth.

“I gave my all but I’m not myself,” said Ingebrigtsen. “I had to do what I could today. I was not sure if I would make the final but here I am. I don’t have any idea what I am going to do in the final. I will try my best.”

Hocker, the shock 1,500m winner in Paris last year, was disqualified in the 1,500m semi-finals this week after pushing his way through the pack on the home straight.

After leading for much of the first of the two heats on Friday, he again found himself boxed in, but, seemingly having learned his lesson, he remained patient and drifted into the safety of lane three to come home safely, and cleanly.

His compatriot Grant Fisher, the world leader this year, and France’s Jimmy Gressier, surprise winner of the 10,000m, also progressed to the final on Sunday, the final day of competition.

A surprise absentee will be Sweden’s 10,000m bronze medallist in Tokyo Andreas Almgren, who finished ninth in the first heat.

Morocco’s Soufiane El Bakkali, who suffered a shock defeat on the line as he sought a hat-trick of titles in the 3,000m steeplechase, was scheduled to take part in the 5,000 but did not start. (This story has been refiled to fix the spelling of Jakob in the paragraph 1)

(Reporting by Mitch Phillips, editing by Ken Ferris)