Overview
- Jakob Ingebrigtsen returned from an 11-month layoff and Achilles surgery to win the European 5,000 metres, retaining his continental title and reasserting his championship credentials.
- After the victory Ingebrigtsen told the BBC he was “very” disappointed that Josh Kerr did not race in Birmingham and said athletes who skip major championships are ruining the sport.
- Josh Kerr broke the mile world record in July 2026 and then won Commonwealth Games gold in Glasgow earlier this month, but he chose to skip the European Championships to manage his workload.
- Kerr’s team had not provided an immediate comment to news requests, and the exchange has intensified questions about how athletes balance record attempts, commercial meets and national or continental championships.
- The dispute builds on a long, public rivalry between the two runners and could increase pressure on athletes and federations to clarify selection, scheduling and athlete-recovery policies to protect championship fields.