Last year, he was narrowly beaten in the Diamond League final. Then Cheruiyot won by eight hundredths of a second. This time, the Kenyan didn’t stand a chance.

– It feels good. I’ve already come in 2nd place twice so I definitely think it was about time, but it’s important, Ingebrigtsen told NRK.

He smelled the European record, but had to settle for the best world of the year. He improved his own time in Lausanne on August 26 by three hundredths of a second.

– It’s a bit bitter that the season is ending when I feel so good. I did two runs of 3.29 fairly close to each other, with no particular sleight of hand. It will take me a long time to be in the same shape next summer, Ingebrigtsen told NRK and answered yes to questions about whether he was in his best shape.

– Yes, I absolutely feel it.

Ranking

Ingebrigtsen was on the back of pacemaker Matthew Ramsden for 900 meters before taking the lead and leading the rest of the field. Cheruiyot was right behind him going into the race, but Ingebrigtsen just pulled away and outclassed him.

Cheruiyot has five Diamond League final wins but didn’t have a chance against Ingebrigtsen on Thursday. He finished second in 3.30.21.

Ramsden reached great speed and cleared 400 meters in 54.19. He was slower in the next 400 yards, and the 800 yards pass was 1.51.41. Ingebrigtsen passed 1200 meters in 2.48.08.

Realistic

– To be completely honest, I expected it to be a light hare. I was told at the start line that he was the hare, Ingebrigtsen said and didn’t want to complain that he hadn’t had better help in his pursuit of the European record.

– You have to be a bit realistic and not wish for things that don’t exist. You have to make do with whatever help you get, he said.

Last month, the Norwegian won EC gold in the 1,500 and 5,000 metres.

Andreas Thorkildsen (javelin) is the only Norwegian to have ever managed an overall victory in a Diamond League exercise. He did this twice.