LIVIN: Norway’s Jakob Ingebr­igtsen, the reigning Olympic 5,000m champion, set a new indoor mile world record of 3min 45.14sec at a meet in northern France on Thursday.

The 24-year-old Ingebrigtsen, the Olympic 1,500 champion in 2021, had come to the event expressly to better the 3:46.63 record run by American Yared Nuguse at the Millrose Games in New York last Saturday.

“It feels amazing,” said Ingebrigtsen, who had never before raced the distance indoors.

“This is what happens in Lievin. I’m a very happy man. You have to be focused for the whole race. It’s tough, but it’s worth it.”

He also broke the indoor 1,500m mark he set on the same track three years ago, clocking 3:29.63 and then holding on for the final half-lap to add the mile record.

Ingebrigtsen is the first athlete since John Landy in 1954 to set world records for the mile and 1,500m in the same race.

Meanwhile, Grant Holloway, the Olympic 110m hurdles champion, eased to victory in the 60m hurdles.

The American, who is also a double world champion, defeated Wilhem Belocian of France, clocking 7.36sec, the best time this season.

Victory was perfect preparation for the 27-year-old ahead of the European Championships (March 6-9 in Apeldoorn, Netherlands) and the World Indoors (March 21-23 in Nanjing, China).

“I feel at home on this track,” said Holloway after his fourth consecutive win at the French venue.

Two-time world champion Gudaf Tsegay fell short in her bid to eclipse Genzebe Dibaba’s 3,000m record from over a decade ago, having come close to it numerous times.

The Ethiopian had it in her sights at the halfway point but the pace dropped and she finished second to world indoor 1500m champion Freweyni Hailu, who ran 8:19.98 to improve on her world-leading time from Ostrava last week.

Ethiopia also dominated the women’s 1,500 as world road mile champion Diribe Welteji won in 3:58.89, ahead of compatriots Habitam Alemu and Worknesh Mesele.

Jamaica’s Ackera Nugent rebou­nded from her recent disqualification in New York to take victory in the women’s 60m in a world-best 7.75sec.

American Grace Stark (7.82) and France’s Laeticia Bapte (7.85) completed the top three.

World silver medallist Leonardo Fabbri won the men’s shot put with a best effort of 21.95m.

Former Olympic pole vault champion Katie Moon posted her third world-leading mark in as many competitions this year, clearing 4.83m to finish ahead of British world indoor champion Molly Caudery (4.75m).

Cuba’s Leyanis Perez Hernandez hit a world-leading 14.62m in the women’s triple jump, while Lieke Klaver of the Netherlands won the women’s 400m in 50.76sec.

Published in Dawn, February 15th, 2025