HUELVA/OSLO (Nettavisen): Gilje Nordås won the Meeting Ibroamericana in a time of 3.34.11.
He took early command in the field and went offensively far forward. Towards the end, there was a sprint showdown with an Italian competitor.
Filip Ingebrigtsen, on the other hand, was initially at the back of the field at a more controlled pace and eventually finished far behind his Norwegian competitor at the finish in a time of 3.38.91.
– It was a lot of fun and I am very happy with that season opener. It’s very similar to how I opened many other seasons that turned out very well. Among other things in 2016. I am very satisfied with that feeling and feeling a flow and that things are a bit right, says Ingebrigtsen herself to Nettavisen.
Filip Ingebrigtsen with a straight answer about Gjert
VGTV’s expert commentator Geir Juva said after the race that he thought it was a very nice run through.
– I don’t think we should expect anything more when it’s so early in the season. It was really fun to see that he had something to answer with at the end when he was challenged, he says.
Cash answer about Gjert: – No
Ingebrigtsen was in a good mood after the first race of the year.
– I was perhaps a bit defensive in the first half. But I was afraid of getting too eager in the first competition. It was a little unusual and you have to get used to it. I am very satisfied with how the body was in the last half.
Ingebrigtsen did not meet the EC requirement, but he looks positively on the future.
– It will be running more competitions and running faster, he says of the attempt to qualify for the EC in Rome.
– When is the next competition for you?
– It’s not completely fixed, but it will be sometime during May, says Ingebrigtsen, who hasn’t given much thought to the uproar of the last few days.
– It’s not something I really care about.
– Have you spoken to Gjert?
– No, he replies.
U-turn before the race
Gilje Nordås’ coach Gjert Ingebrigtsen was nowhere to be seen during the event in Spain and Gilje Nordås stated to Dagbladet that he did not think the coach would show up.
Shortly after, Gilje Nordås also competed in the 5,000 meters to help his team-mate Per Svela in his pursuit of the European Championship requirement of 13.20. Gilje Nordås gave up after 4,000 metres. Svela set a new personal best and passed the EC requirement.
It was only earlier on Tuesday that it was decided that Gilje Nordås would run 1,500 meters instead of 5,000, as was originally planned.
His agent, Nic Bideau, justified the change by saying that the 25-year-old did not think the 5000 meters would be as fast as he wanted. In advance, he had hoped to meet the Olympic requirement for the distance. Gilje Nordås’s change of distance then meant that he would run against Filip Ingebrigtsen, which several have pointed out could seem like a provocation.
Tuesday’s competition came the day after Nordås’ coach and Ingebrigtsen’s father, Gjert Ingebrigtsen, was prosecuted for abuse in close relationships. The former did not comment on the matter ahead of the competition.