OSLO: Norwegian Jakob Ingebrigtsen may have to delay the start of his outdoor season and miss his home Diamond League meet after the Olympic 5,000 metres champion suffered an Achilles injury, Norwegian media reported on Monday.

The Bislett Games back-to-back defending 1,500 metres champion postponed a training camp at altitude after experiencing a slight strain on his Achilles tendon, his spokesperson Espen Skoland told Norwegian broadcaster NRK.

“Most likely, he will have to delay the start of his season,” Skoland said. “They’re working on getting it under control but he’s taking no risks.”

The Bislett Games are set for June 12.

Ingebrigtsen, who also won gold in the 1,500m at the Tokyo Olympics, is scheduled to face one of his main rivals, Briton Josh Kerr, at July’s London Diamond League meeting.

The 24-year-old has been a key figure in a highly publicised trial involving his father, Gjert Ingebrigtsen, after Norwegian police pressed charges last year accusing him of abusing two of his seven children, including Jakob.

The elder Ingebrigtsen has denied the charges while Jakob described a childhood marked by fear and manipulation during testimony. The trial is expected to conclude on May 15 though it is unclear when a verdict could be returned.

Published in Dawn, May 14th, 2025