Ingebrigtsen has not competed yet this year Hannah Peters/Getty ImagesJuly 27, 2026 12:24 pm EDT Updated Jakob Ingebrigtsen has confirmed he is targeting the European Championships in August for his return to competition.The two-time Olympic champion is yet to compete this year following surgery on his left ankle in February after an Achilles injury that disrupted his 2025 season.Ingebrigtsen, 25, has returned to training in spikes on the track in recent weeks and on Monday released a video revealing his intended return for the European Championships, which get underway on August 10. The outdoor meet is being held in Birmingham this year, running through to August 16.“I’ve heard Birmingham is nice this time of year …,” he said on his Instagram, alongside a training montage with clips of his previous success at the meet.
The announcement did not confirm which event he was considering, however, between the 1500m where mile world-record holder Josh Kerr will likely compete, or the 5000m in which Ingebrigtsen has been more dominant.
The Norwegian has an illustrious history with the European Championship — winning the 1500m/5000m double at the last three editions in Berlin 2018, Munich 2022 and Roma 2024.His last outing at a major meet, however, saw him finish tenth in the 5000m at the world championships in Tokyo last September, and not progress further than the heats in the 1500m.The 5000m final will take place on day 1, August 10, while the first round of the 1500m will take place on the morning of August 14.
