TOKYO: Norway’s double-defending 5,000 meters world champion Jacob Ingebrigtsen and America’s Olympic 1,500m champion Cole Hocker advanced to the final of the 5,000m on Friday where they will hope to make amends for 1,500m frustrations earlier in the week.
Ingebrigtsen, who has been battling to get into race shape after an Achilles injury, went out in the heats of the 1,500m, having been beaten in the final in the last two world championships and at last year’s Olympics, but on all three occasions he bounced back to win the 5,000.
The Norwegian, who turned 25 on Friday, took up his usual position right at the back of the second heat as, with no fast losers going through, the race rolled along at a Sunday jog pace in perfect, cooler conditions after the heat earlier this week.
Ingebrigtsen made his move approaching the bell, but his usual smooth acceleration was missing, and he ended up battling to the line to snatch the eighth and last qualifying berth.
“I gave my all but I’m not myself,” said Ingebrigtsen. “I had to do what I could today. I was not sure if I would make the final but here I am. I don’t have any idea what I am going to do in the final. I will try my best.”
Hocker, the shock 1,500m winner in Paris last year, was disqualified in the 1,500m semifinals this week after pushing his way through the pack on the home straight.
After leading for much of the first of the two heats on Friday, he again found himself boxed in, but seemingly having learned his lesson, he remained patient and drifted into the safety of lane three to come home safely, and cleanly.
His compatriot Grant Fisher, the world leader this year, and France’s Jimmy Gressier, surprise winner of the 10,000m, also progressed to the final on Sunday, the final day of competition.
A surprise absentee will be Sweden’s 10,000m bronze medallist in Tokyo Andreas Almgren, who finished ninth in the first heat.
Morocco’s Soufiane El Bakkali, who suffered a shock defeat on the line as he sought a hat-trick of titles in the 3,000m steeplechase, was scheduled to take part in the 5,000 but did not start.
Champion Ingebrigtsen labors into 5,000m final
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Champion Ingebrigtsen labors into 5,000m final
- Ingebrigtsen made his move approaching the bell, but his usual smooth acceleration was missing
- Grant Fisher, the world leader this year, and France’s Jimmy Gressier, surprise winner of the 10,000m, also progressed to the final on Sunday
Supersub strikes again as Sesko gives Man United win at Everton
- The defeat was a blow to Everton’s hopes of a place in next year’s European competitions and left it languishing in ninth, behind Brentford and Bournemouth
LIVERPOOL, England: Manchester United supersub Benjamin Sesko scored 13 minutes after entering the field to give his side a 1-0 win over Everton in the Premier League on Monday.
It was the third time in four games that Sesko has scored after coming off the bench and secured points for United.
“I believe in me and so do the other players as well,” Sesko told Sky Sports. “They know what they are going to get when I arrive in the game. It’s up to me to deliver of course.”
His goal with 19 minutes remaining finished off the slickest move of an otherwise stodgy game.
Bryan Mbeumo controlled Matheus Cunha’s superb long ball and played a perfectly weighted pass to the feet of Sesko, who steered the ball past Jordan Pickford with aplomb.
“It was a great finish,” United interim coach Michael Carrick said. “It was a ruthless finish. I liked the way he put it away with real confidence. It was great play from Cunha and Mbeumo to set it up and we are dangerous on the break.”
Until then defenses had been on top and the lack of attacking fluency was not helped by a heavy pitch that appeared to slow down both teams.
The result took fourth-placed United three points clear of Chelsea and Liverpool. United was three behind Aston Villa.
It also extended Carrick’s unbeaten run to six games since he replaced Ruben Amorim on Jan. 13.
The defeat was a blow to Everton’s hopes of a place in next year’s European competitions and left it languishing in ninth, behind Brentford and Bournemouth and eight points adrift of Chelsea and Liverpool.
David Moyes’ men have gone seven games without a win at their new Hill Dickinson Stadium.
“Generally we did very well in lots of bits,” Moyes said. “We got done on the counterattack and they ran away and got the goal that was there. We put in a great effort to get the goal but lacked the quality to make it count.”
