An extraordinary treat awaits the Danish running public when they line up to cheer on around 30,000 runners at the Copenhagen Half Marathon on Sunday. In the front starting wave, the name ‘Ingebrigtsen’ will stand out on one of the bibs among the international elite runners.  

Jakob Ingebrigtsen – one of athletics’ greatest active icons has announced his arrival.  

“I’m Looking forward to test myself in the half marathon, for the first time, in Copenhagen. Normally this is a distance that would suit my training very well, but after a long season on the track working towards the 1500m, it’s exciting to see if I even can reach the finish line,” says Jakob Ingebrigtsen. 

Most people will know the Norwegian star from the 2024 Paris Olympics and his numerous records in the 1500, 3000 and 5000 metres.   

It is therefore borderline sensational that the organiser of the Copenhagen Half Marathon Sparta Athletics & Running can introduce the 23-year-old Olympic gold medallist.      

‘When an Olympic gold medalist chooses to run in Copenhagen, it’s because the city, the course and the audience deliver something special. It is an excellent opportunity to be able to offer the spectators and the participants to experience an icon like Jakob Ingebrigtsen in a duel with both the world champion and the world record holder in the half marathon.’ says Dorte Vibjerg, CEO of the organiser Sparta Athletics & Running and continues: 

‘For us, this underlines why Copenhagen Half Marathon is sold out in record time and why Copenhagen has been selected to host the World Championships in 2026.’

World record holder waiting at the start line
Jakob Ingebrigtsen may have chosen a Danish backdrop where he will be carried along flat roads through Copenhagen’s historic neighbourhoods by a vigorous crowd. But he hasn’t spared himself from competition in what is probably the strongest elite field ever in the history of the race.  

At the starting line on Jagtvej, Copenhagen he will stand shoulder to shoulder with world record holder in the half marathon Jacob Kiplimo, among others. And the Ugandan of the same age as Ingebrigtsen has made it clear that he has chosen Copenhagen because this is where he wants to break his own record. Likewise, reigning world champion Sabastian Sawe from Kenya has come to win like he usually does.  

Jakob Ingebrigtsen’s best official 10 kilometre time of 27:54 minutes goes five years back and is unknown territory in competition. So it’s hard to predict the star’s ability over twice the distance.  

What is certain is that Jakob Ingebrigtsen rarely does anything without the ambition to win, and with fresh Olympic gold in the 5000 metres from Paris and a fresh new world record in the 3000 metres in his luggage for Copenhagen, none of the other favourites are likely to underestimate Ingebrigtsen in advance. 

Jakob Asserson Ingebrigtsen

Norway
23 years old – born: 19 September 2000  

Selected personal bests 
1500 metres: 3:26.73 min. (July 2024)
3000 metres: 7:17.55 min. (August 2024 – world record)
5000 metres: 12:48.45 min. (June 2021)
10 km road: 27:54 min. (October 2019)  

Selected triumphs  

Olympics: Gold in the 5000 metres in Paris 2024 and 1500 metres in Tokyo 2021.  

World Championships: Gold in the 5000 metres in 2022 and 2023, silver in the 1500 metres in 2022 and 2023.  

In addition, numerous records and victories in Diamond League events and cross.