NRK stood with Asserson in the stands before kick-off in Liévin on Thursday night. When asked if he believed in world records, his answer was an unequivocal yes.

Prior to the race, Samuel Teferas held the world record for the 1500 meters indoors with 3.31.04. But Tefera, like other players, has no chance of keeping up with Jakob Ingebrigtsen.

The new world record is 3.30.60.

– I feel like I’ve been talking about world records since I was born. So I’ve been talking about it for a long time. This is a dream come true. To be able to break a world record is very high. Hopefully it’s one of many. Now I’ve taken it, so it’s really exciting, Ingebrigtsen told NRK.

– Getting experienced, both

After a round of honors, he ran up to his fiancé with a bouquet of tapes.

– I not the only one who sacrificed a lot, he told NRK.

He smiled when he heard that his fiancé announced the previous world record.

– Dglad that we are on the same wavelength and understand what is coming. That’s great, he says.

– What signals do you think he saw today?

– We’ve been together for so long that I think there are a lot of little things he connected with. Maybe it’s just that I’m getting a little quieter or a little more focused. We’re getting more experienced, both of us, so it’s fun when we work it out.

Here’s how the fiancé explained what her predictions were based on:

– That was the focus he was aiming for and the thought that he had never gotten that far before. He wants to take it. He was clear that he wanted to take it, at least for me. I feel good, Elisabeth Asserson told NRK.

Very strong finish

Ingebrigtsen himself also hinted to the media that a world record was possible yesterday.

– You never know, that’s what’s really hard. During the first race, you don’t have many indicators to create a good feeling. But it starts with wanting and hoping to do well. Then of course I have training behind me, which I know has gone well. Then I did the same thing I did last year, and it went well. Then it’s just a matter of doing the best you can, says Jakob.

The Norwegian ran the second half quicker than the first.

– I like to finish strong. I think it’s good for the crowd too, and it’s always good to finish well, smiled the recent world record holder.

Jakob Ingebrigtsen set a new European record with 3.31.80 at the same event last year. Thus it was a European record again, and now synonymous with a world record.

Now he is also chasing the outdoor world record in the same training. It was 3.26.00, more than two seconds better than the Norwegian’s personal record. and that of Hicham El Guerrouj.

– I’m a little further away from that than I was before this season. I will try to do my best and develop. Whether that will happen this year or later remains to be seen. “I don’t have a goal to break the world record, but to run faster than I did before, so it’s only a matter of time whether I succeed or not,” said Jakob.

– Never stops surprising

Therefore, in 2021 Jakob Ingebrigtsen set European records for the 1500 and 5000 meters outdoors. He became the Olympic champion with a new Olympic record. And he ended the year with EC gold in cross-country racing.

And it continues. Barriers are being broken on the assembly line.

The record must have also impressed NRK track and field expert Vebjørn Rodal.

– It’s clear that Jakob Ingebrigtsen has taken another step. Here he comes with a huge amount of training on his body after the winter cold, and runs in a controlled and well-inclined manner until 3.30 – in February! Then you still have to train a lot for a few months and it will take a long time to get fit, says Rodal.

When asked whether the outdoor record that has been established since 1998 can also be broken, the expert answered as follows:

– Maybe not this summer, but at the same time I no longer dare to rule out anything regarding Jakob Ingebrigtsen. He never stopped surprising us, said Rodal.

No Gjert

This event is one of the most rewarding indoor events. Several big names and a number of Olympic champions have traveled to France, including Marcin Lewandowski, who has become one of the Ingebrigtsen brothers’ biggest rivals in recent years.

Earlier this winter, it became clear that Gjert’s father was stepping down as coach. As such, Henrik’s older brother may be eligible to take over a coaching role in the long term.

– SNaturally, if my running career ends at some point, as it most likely will and Jakob wants me to help with something, then it might happen, Henrik told NRK.

– Jakob wants you to play Gjert now, how do you see that?

– Yeah, so I think that’s great. I thought I could do a good job for Jakob myself. I don’t see it as improbable that at one point or another it will be, but it does depend a bit on how my venture is going. If it suddenly stops, maybe it’s a way forward, said the older brother.