Jakob Ingebrigtsen explains what went wrong after suffering 1500m shock at Olympics

The Norwegian was bidding to defend his Olympic title but was pushed down to fourth after a blazing close from Cole Hocker, Josh Kerr and Yared Nuguse

Jakob Ingebrigtsen admits he “hit the wall” and got his timing wrong after suffering a shock upset in a thrilling 1500m final at the Olympics.

A race billed as a battle between two great rivals, the Norwegian and Josh Kerr have been embroiled in a war of words ever since the Briton claimed gold at the world championships last year.

But as Kerr snatched the lead on the home straight in the Paris 2024 final, Cole Hocker pounced with a perfectly-timed kick to win gold in an Olympic record time. And with USA teammate Yared Nuguse coming home strong to win bronze, Ingebrigtsen was left with the strange feeling of no medal at all, cursing the damage done in the first 200m.

“I opened with a 54-second lap,” Ingebrigtsen pointed out. “That wasn’t the plan at all. It was at least two seconds too fast. I was thinking about slowing down, but the next lap was almost the same speed. I ruined it for myself by going way too hard.

“I felt really strong and I have had a good progression with races this year. I didn’t realise what pace it actually was. It was not the plan to open that hard.

“My plan was to win. But it didn't go according to plan but I felt very strong in the first couple of laps and that's why I had difficulty telling the pace because it was quite fast.

“It was difficult to slow down and kind of reduce myself a little bit. I was starting to get a little bit of gap so kept on pushing but it was just 100m too long today.

"The guys behind me, finishing in front of me did a great race. It's not always easy to spend your energy wisely but I felt strong and of course not the result I wanted."

(Getty Images)

Norway's Jakob Ingebrigtsen reacts after competing in the men's 1500m final (AFP via Getty Images)

While the first 200m proved costly, it was only in the final 200m that Ingebrigtsen discovered the trouble he was in as his rivals surpassed him with the finish line in sight.

“It depends because in the 1500m, the pace is so strong in the whole race,” he added. “Especially with me opening so strong.

“You can't really tell when you're hitting the wall when you hit it. It was just a little bit too early today.”

Ingebrigtsen bemoaned putting “a little bit too much on the gas,” too, adding: “Of course it’s a tactical error that I’m not able to reduce my pace the first 800,” Ingebrigtsen said. “It’s just a little too hard.

“I think I saw on the back straight with probably 650 to go that they were opening a little bit of a gap, so I tried to respond by going just a little bit too much on the gas. Just 100 meters too much today.”

Ingebrigtsen will have his shot at redemption in the 5000m at Paris 2024, a title he also won three years ago in Tokyo.

But an opportunity to hit back against Hocker and Kerr will arrive later this month at the Lausanne Diamond League on 22 August.

Gold medalist Cole Hocker, right, of the United States, shakes hands with fourth placed Jakob Ingebrigtsen (AP)

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The Zurich Diamond League on 5 September follows before the finals across two days in Brussels on 13-14 September.