FANA (VG) Jakob Ingebrigtsen (21) took Wednesday’s 800 meters as practice, and admits the unfamiliar distance is not for him.

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Because it was within nearly half the distance he normally traveled, he had to see himself beaten to the punch.

– A bit as expected, you can see again that 800 meters is something other than 1500 meters run, Ingebrigtsen told NRK and continued:

– I wasn’t made for this. Jumped so fast, so early. I need three rounds to start.

The Olympic winner eventually finished fourth with a time of 1,47,22. Dutchman Tony van Diepen won the distance in a time of 1,46.56.

But even though Ingebrigtsen had to see himself beaten, there was a good mood after the finish between him and Wednesday’s winner.

– It’s not fun to be beaten, but at the same time we have to be realistic. Had he (van Diepen) lined up at 1500 metres, I might have caught him again with one lap, Ingebrigtsen said with a laugh to NRK.

Ingebrigtsen’s personal record of 800 meters is 1.46.44 from Bislett two years ago. In comparison, Norway’s record for the middle distance is 1,42.58, set by Vebjørn Rodal (49) when he won his historic Olympic gold in Atlanta in 1996.

Jakob Ingebrigtsen got 1.48.72 when he won the NM title at a distance here two years ago. The course record is held by Danish Wilson Kipketer, set in 1996 with 1,44.33.

With his fiancé Elisabeth Asserson and best friend on the support staff, Jakob Ingebrigtsen took the night’s race as something of a pace session. During the warm-up, he realized he might not be able to keep up with the best, something he was right about.

At the same time, he can tell that he has to do a little “extra” training after the 800 meters, to get a good session.

Also present at the Fana Stadium were father and former coach Gjert Ingebrigtsen, who accompanied his new students Narve Gilje Nordås and Per Svela. Both took part in the 3000 yards that came off the pile moments before Jakob Ingebrigtsen came into action.

The Norwegian Olympic gold medalist in 1500 meters was almost incredible when he won the classic mile (1609 meters) race in the Eugene Diamond League competition a week and a half ago. Next Thursday, he will run the same distance in the Oslo Diamond League competition, and may become the first of the brothers running on Team Ingebrigtsen to win the so-called Dream Mile during the Bislett Games.

Watched well without competition from Filip Ingebrigtsen (29) and Henrik Ingebrigtsen (31). The former ended up slightly below the results list in Eugene and decided a few days ago to drop 5000 meters in Rome’s Diamond League competition tomorrow, Thursday. He wants to run instead he distance in Bislett on June 16, along with Henrik – who is looking to qualify for the European Athletics Championships in Munich in mid-August.

But first came the World Athletics Championships in Eugene 15-24. July.

After world record holder Karsten Warholm (26) suffered a thigh injury three days ago during his debut season in Rabat, Jakob Ingebrigtsen – like looking for the long tailed king Warholm now – became Norway’s biggest gold hope in the championship in five and a half weeks.

There he looks set to run to win the 1500 and 5000 meters.

The 800 meter run at the Trond Mohn Games at the Fana Stadium on Wednesday night was the penultimate competition race as a charge for the World Cup. Soon after the Bislett mile, he and his older brother Filip went hiking in their native Flagstaff (2000 feet above sea level) in Arizona.

PS! Hedda Hynne competed in the women’s 800 meters and recorded a time of 2.03.57, but was beaten by Bianka Keri of Hungary at the Fana Stadium.