He already holds world and Olympic gold medals, along with countless European titles, plus a handful of world records indoors and out. But the one thing missing from Jakob Ingebrigtsen’s collection is a world indoor title.

But the Norwegian isn’t targeting just one gold medal in Nanjing; he’s going after the 1500m and 3000m crowns.

He’s no stranger to doubling up on the continental stage, having achieved the 1500m/3000m double at the past three editions of the European Indoor Championships, along with the 1500m/5000m double at the past three outdoor European Championships. But this will be the first time he has attempted to double up at the World Indoors.

In fact, the 24-year-old has only competed at one previous edition of the World Indoors, and on that occasion he was made to settle for the 1500m silver medal in Belgrade in 2022. And each time he has attempted a double on the global stage outdoors, he has fallen slightly short of accomplishing it.

His fourth-place finish in the 1500m at last year’s Olympics clearly stung. It no doubt played a big part in him claiming gold over 5000m just a few days later. It also likely provided inspiration behind Ingebrigtsen smashing the world 3000m record in late August last year.

He carried that momentum into 2025, breaking the world indoor records for 1500m and the mile in the same race in Lievin before going on to achieve his latest European indoor double.

If Ingebrigtsen achieves his target in Nanjing, he’ll become just the second man in World Indoor Championships history to take two individual gold medals in one edition, following Haile Gebrselassie’s distance double in 1999.

The 3000m will be the first final Ingebrigtsen contests in Nanjing, though he’ll have a heat of the 1500m in his legs by the time he takes to the 3000m startline on Saturday. He’ll be hoping to have sufficient sharpness to hold off a three-pronged Ethiopian challenge in the form of Olympic 10,000m silver medallist Berihu Aregawi, world U20 indoor record-holder Biniam Mehary, and steeplechase specialist Getnet Wale, all of whom have bettered 7:30 indoors.

Kenya’s Cornelius Kemboi has never competed indoors before, but the African Games bronze medallist has the potential to be in contention.

So too do Australia’s Ky Robinson, USA’s Dylan Jacobs and Ireland’s Andrew Coscoran, all of whom have broken 7:31 this year in fast-paced races on the World Indoor Tour.

Jon Mulkeen for World Athletics

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