Norwegian runner Jakob Ingebrigtsen has set a new world record in the 3,000 meters at the Silesia Diamond League meet in Chorzow, Poland, with an astonishing time of 7 minutes 17.55 seconds. This feat broke the previous record of 7:20.67, which had been held by Kenya’s Daniel Komen since 1996. Ingebrigtsen’s performance surpassed Komen’s time by over three seconds, setting a new benchmark in the sport.
Ingebrigtsen, 23, had previously come close to Komen’s record last September, but his latest run saw him slice nearly three seconds off his personal best. As he crossed the finish line and saw his time, he was clearly amazed by his achievement. To commemorate his accomplishment, Ingebrigtsen was awarded a $50,000 (£42,000) cheque, which he proudly displayed in front of the race clock.
“This feels really special, absolutely incredible. I was aiming to challenge the world record, but you can never know exactly what you can do based on training alone,” Ingebrigtsen remarked. “I didn’t expect to run a 7:17. The pace felt fast at the start, but I soon found my rhythm and pushed through.”
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Reflecting on the race, Ingebrigtsen commented, “3,000 is a tough distance, after four-five laps you feel the lactic acid, but you need to get going. The conditions were difficult with the heat today, but it is the same for everyone. Now I want to challenge world records at all distances, but it is one step at a time.”
Ingebrigtsen’s victory came against a strong field, with Berihu Aregawi of Ethiopia, the Paris Olympics 10,000m silver medallist, finishing second in a personal best time of 7:21.28, the third-fastest time ever recorded. Fellow Ethiopian Yomif Kejelcha took third place.
This remarkable achievement came just days after Ingebrigtsen won the men’s 1500m at the Lausanne meet, clocking a time of 3:27.83. This victory served as a measure of payback against American Cole Hocker, who had taken the gold in Paris, stunning the field.
