By Mitch Phillips
PARIS (Reuters) -Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen bounced back from defeat in the 1,500 metres to win the Olympic 5,000 metres gold with a fierce final lap on Saturday, just as he did in last year’s world championships.
Ingebrigtsen was the defending champion over 1,500 but was run out of the medals and determined to make amends in the longer distance, having taking gold over 5,000 in the last two world championships.
His rivals played into his hands by running most of the race at pedestrian pace, until Ethiopian Hagos Gebrhiwet, who became the second-fastest man ever over the distance this year, put his foot down with 600 metres to go.
Ingebrigtsen did not panic, however, easing his way back onto the leader’s shoulder and forging clear with 250 to go to come home well clear in 13 minutes 13.66.
Kenya’s Ronald Kwemoi got ahead in a charge for the line to take silver with American Grant Fisher adding a brilliant bronze to the one he picked up in the 10,000 as his country’s highly impressive campaign over the middle and longer distances continued.
(Reporting by Mitch Phillips, editing by Ed Osmond)
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