Tokyo (AFP)

The Norwegian Jakob Ingebrigtsen, prodigy of the world middle distance, participates Saturday in his first Olympic final on the 1,500 m.

At only 20 years old, he can already aim for gold on the most beautiful sporting stage in the world.

In Tokyo, Ingebrigtsen decided to focus on the 1,500m and its three races (series, semi-finals, final) and not to compete in the 5,000m.

Yet it is over this distance that he has been the most impressive this season.

On June 10, he had dominated most of the best runners in the world in a mad race at the Diamond League meeting in Florence, the European record in 12 min 48 sec 45.

"It is probably the best race I have won, with a very high level field. I was very happy of course. But as always I am still looking to improve myself, Florence was just a new stage in the right direction, ”he said ahead of the Games.

That day, he had notably broken the Ugandan world record holder Joshua Cheptegei.

"Being able to run fast against the best builds confidence, gives experience. But at the same time I have the impression of running at a very high level for several years now. I feel sure, experienced", poses- he does.

- "Boredom in internship" -

At 20, the Norwegian is already playing his 4th season at the highest level.

He had shone from Euro-2018 in Berlin with a resounding double 1,500 / 5,000 m among seniors at only 17 years old.

"I have been running since I was born. I have never done anything else," repeats over and over again the 5th of seven siblings from Stavanger (south-western Norway), always trained by his father Gjert following his big brothers Henrik (European champion in the 1,500 m in 2012) and Filip (European champion in the 1,500 m in 2016), less in sight for a few years.

Jakob Ingebrigtsen (c) during the 1500m series of the Tokyo Olympics, August 3, 2021 Giuseppe CACACE AFP / Archives

After his European exploits, Jakob, holder of the European records in the 1,500 m outdoors and indoors, is still missing an international medal.

In 2019 at the Doha Worlds he remained at the gates of the podium on his two favorite distances (4th in the 1,500m, 5th in the 5,000m).

He is obviously convinced of being able to win at the Tokyo Games.

"Since Jakob has been told since he was four years old that he would become the best runner in the world, he believes in it. It's a form of propaganda," Henrik joked in 2019 to the Aftenposten newspaper.

To pass the course, nothing new, hundreds of kilometers per month, at varying speeds, and endless courses.

"In a way, I sacrificed my childhood and my teenage years. It will never come back. We travel 200 days a year. In other words, we lose precious moments with the people we love and I can't always do what you want to do, "Jakob confided in 2019.

How to spend the time between the two daily sessions?

"In internship I take my playstation with me, I play Fortnite, Fifa, I watch series ... I play online with Justyn Knight (Canadian, qualified for the final of the 5.000 m of the Olympics). He too he bored in internship, "he says.

Saturday, finished playing, he has a medal to win.

© 2021 AFP