Jakob Ingebrigtsen did not hold back after finishing fourth in the 1500m at the Diamond League Final in Brussels.
The Olympic champion was furious with how the race unfolded. He accused his rivals of hiding behind the pacemaker and called them a “bunch of cowards” after Australia’s Cameron Myers won the title.
Ingebrigtsen is returning to competition after undergoing Achilles surgery in February.
He had controlled much of the race and appeared to be in contention for victory. However, the Norwegian faded in the final 30 metres as Myers produced a perfectly timed finishing burst.
Myers crossed the line in 3:30.14.
He edged Kenya’s Phanuel Kipkosgei Koech by 0.04 seconds.
American Ethan Strand finished third in 3:30.50, while Ingebrigtsen took fourth in 3:30.52.
For Ingebrigtsen, however, the result was less about the defeat.
It was more about how his opponents had raced.
“They want to run in a queue and hide themselves tonight,” he said after the race.
The Norwegian also criticised the pacemaking.
He said the pacer had pulled him away from the Wavelight and the pace he wanted to maintain.
Ingebrigtsen Questions Hocker’s Tactics
Ingebrigtsen was particularly unhappy with the tactics surrounding American Cole Hocker, who finished eighth.
According to Ingebrigtsen, Hocker’s team had engineered a change in the pacemaking arrangement.
A teammate became involved instead of the French pacer.
The Olympic champion suggested that the move allowed Hocker to sit back and avoid taking responsibility for the pace.
“He fooled all of us,” Ingebrigtsen said.
He argued that Hocker had effectively chosen to hide behind the other runners.
The frustration boiled over when Ingebrigtsen spoke to reporters after the race.
“I’m very disappointed in the race and the result, I’m racing against a bunch of cowards,” he said.
He did, however, make one exception.
“It’s only Cameron [Myers] that’s a good racer,” Ingebrigtsen said.
He also admitted that he had looked like a loser on the night.
Myers Focuses on Timing
While Ingebrigtsen focused on tactics, Myers concentrated on timing.
The 20-year-old Australian stayed patient and resisted the temptation to make an early move.
He waited until the final stretch before launching his attack.
“I contemplated making a move on the back straight but I didn’t really need to, so I just waited as long as possible,” Myers said after the race.
It was another major step in the rapid rise of the Australian.
Myers had already broken the national record earlier in the season.
Now, he has a Diamond League Final title to add to his résumé.
For Ingebrigtsen, Brussels was another test in his comeback from injury.
It was also another reminder that returning to his best will take time.
His explosive post-race comments ensured that the 1500m final became about much more than the result.
The race belonged to Myers.
The headlines, however, belonged to Ingebrigtsen.