Jakob Ingebrigtsen railed against his opponents, calling them "a group of losers." © APA/afp / JOHN THYS

Norwegian running star lashes out at opponents: "Cowards"

Olympic track and field champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen lashed out at his competitors after the Diamond League 1.500-meter final in Brussels. "I was up against a bunch of cowards," said the Norwegian after the race, which he finished in fourth place.

September 05, 2026

From: apa/sn

What happened? Ingebrigtsen, usually known for his tactically astute races, set the pace early in the world-class field. But on the final straight, the strongest competitors sprinted past the 25-year-old – including winner Cameron Myers from Australia.

Ingebrigtsen rants: "A group of losers"

“I’m giving it my all and running to win, but I’m not strong enough. That’s just how it is right now. But damn it, what a group of losers,” Ingebrigtsen was quoted as saying by the Norwegian broadcaster NRK.

He seemed unimpressed by the way his opponents were running. "The pacemaker in front of me is doing a terrible job. The others are much better than me right now, but oh well. And then they just come at me when there are only 50 meters left," sighed Ingebrigtsen, who had stumbled across the finish line in Brussels.

Jakob Ingebrigtsen set a fast pace early on – and paid the price. © ANSA / OLIVIER HOSLET

Ingebrigtsen: "I will crush them all"

The other runners were "terrified," Ingebrigtsen emphasized. "I'm incredibly excited to come back in a few months. Then I'm going to leave everyone in the dust," said the Norwegian running star, who won Olympic gold in the 1.500 meters in Tokyo in 2021 and in the 5.000 meters in Paris in 2024.

Ingebrigtsen was plagued by Achilles tendon problems this year. Nevertheless, he won gold in the 5.000 meters at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham, Great Britain, almost a month ago.