This has developed into a drama that we rarely see in Norway in a sporting context.

Because tonight, too, the stage has been set for a special episode, in which “Team Ingebrigtsen” teams up with “Karsten and Leif” to create entertainment television like nothing we’ve ever seen before.

This is a night where everyone who is not interested in athletics is interested in athletics.

This Wednesday could be the biggest day in Norwegian sporting history. Also in terms of sports.

Also because a new element has appeared in the exclusive company, which is actually reserved for our biggest stars.

For Narve Gilje Nordås has gone from an aversion to elite sport, where he wondered if he should just give up, to a serious and sensational competitor for the world’s best middle distance runners in a special class.

The contention is, as everyone quickly realized, that Nordås got there through the official assistance of the former coach of the unique club mentioned above.

Former coach. Current father.

And the relationship between the two former training partners was, in Nordås’ own words, “non-existent”.

The elephant doesn’t exist

Until this Wednesday, the entire conflict was almost like a volcanic blanket during the preparations for the final. Paradoxically, those who treat him with the greatest dignity are the main characters themselves. Jakob Ingebrigtsen declined to discuss the matter.

“My biggest challenge? To cross the finish line first”, as she graciously fends off the closest person who dared suggest conflict to her.

Narve Gilje Nordås, for his part, refers to the situation with a more subtle degree of clarity.

“There was no elephant in the room”, as he himself expressed after arriving in Budapest.

He was, in a way, right. It’s not an elephant, it’s a small herd.

There is so much left unsaid in this conflict that no one could be uninvolved in what happened anywhere other than on the tartan deck on the banks of the Danube in the center of the Hungarian capital.

But until tonight all the elephants were running in the same direction for once.

The top speed of an elephant is also 40 km/hour. Slightly below what Usain Bolt has at his most extreme.

In 2023, it will be Norwegian athletes who will surpass that mark.

Toxic

Because where many people think – or scared – that Gjert Ingebrigtsen should have contributed to the escalation of tension levels after being refused so-called accreditation by the athletics association, has so far been wrong. Luckily.

The only thing that came close was a very subtle Instagram post, in which Ingebrigtsen’s father also quoted a lot of talk about Britney Spears and her old hit “Oops, I did it again”.

If anyone has forgotten that former coach Jakob Ingebrigtsen did have a presence in Budapest. Even without accreditation.

Norway has a quota of 11 personal trainers. In comparison, more than England have, with a squad twice the size. But there’s no room for a coach to be one of our few medal hopes.

The reason, of course, is the internal conflict that is much talked about in the Ingebrigtsen family.

While no one knows or should know the details, everyone sees one of the consequences here in Budapest. In the form of a duel with emotional nuances that are almost absurd.

Those who are silent

And this is a situation that Norwegian athletics must avoid. The consideration that is expected to win two WC gold medals exceeds all principles.

Which could have been maintained. If only those who were supposed to defend him did that. But neither General Secretary Kjetil Hildeskor nor Athletic President Anne Farseth, who said the decision was made based on an overall assessment, did not want to take on the responsibility that should be in explaining priorities and instead pushed sports manager Erlend Slokvik in front of them.

Also here in Budapest.

This Wednesday though, sports managers can also focus on tasks that their job title requires them to prioritize.

In a little over 35 minutes, 45 seconds, and about 80 hundredths, we can get two of the greatest contributions in the history of Norwegian sport.

Because if Norway on paper are the favorites in the 1500 and 400 meter hurdles, at the same time two stars are out to get some revenge, which is a possible situation and hopefully one that can be leveraged for further motivation.

Half an hour back

Jakob Ingebrigtsen has been the world’s best 1,500 meters runner in the special class since he captured an Olympic gold medal in the long distance in 2021. But he has no World Cup gold medals in the long distance class. Karsten Warholm has two WC gold medals in the 400 meter hurdles. But her world title was lost to Brazilian Alison dos Santos at Eugene last year – after a long period of injury problems. Now neither Warholm nor the ever-quiet coach Alnes could hide that sunbathing was on a level he had never experienced before.

Therefore, the whole athletic world was waiting for a big fight against dos Santos and American Rai Benjamin. And the dream of seeing all three of them looking the same on the run around 21.50 local time.

Only a few. Because most likely it will end with a new world record.

Hopefully it stays Norwegian.

And being able to gold plate a second WC in one night. We have never won the 1500 meters. Now suddenly we have two people who can actually do it.

And at the same time we have to advance one verse in the nursery rhyme.

Which tells of two elephants that come marching past this spider’s subtle spin.

Three elephants came marching this Wednesday evening.

And there is no doubt that the path is very interesting.