Jakob Ingebrigtsen eliminated from 1,500m heats in shock Worlds exit

Jakob Ingebrigtsen described his performance as "terrible" after the Norwegian missed qualification from the heats of the men's 1,500 metres at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, ending his bid for the outdoor world 1,500m title.

The 24-year-old, a two-time Olympic and world champion, finished eighth in his heat on Sunday and did not advance to the semi-finals. Ingebrigtsen said the race was "gifted to me" in how it unfolded but that an injury-disrupted season had left him short of the preparation required to contend.

Great Britain saw three athletes progress from the same round, with Josh Kerr, Jake Wightman and Neil Gourley all advancing to the semi-finals. Several other leading names also failed to make the next round, including France's Azeddine Habz and Kenyan teenager Phanuel Koech, who had been among the season's fastest 1,500m performers.

The men's 1,500m semi-finals are scheduled for Monday at 13:30 BST, with the final set for Wednesday.

Ingebrigtsen entered the championships on the back of a turbulent season. He began the year by breaking the world indoor 1,500m and mile records in the same race in February and later won 1,500m and 3,000m golds at the World Indoor Championships. An Achilles problem, however, sidelined him for six months and prevented him from competing in the lead-up to the Tokyo event.

"Unfortunately I have lost too much and I have not been able to prepare," Ingebrigtsen told BBC Sport. "Of course I'm disappointed but it's a reality check that it was never really going to happen. I was holding on for dear life because I love to compete." He added that the period before the championships had been "pitch dark," describing repeated trips to an "injury cellar" during the spring.

Off the track, Ingebrigtsen's family endured public scrutiny earlier in the year when his father, Gjert Ingebrigtsen, faced trial. Gjert was cleared of abusing Jakob but was found guilty of violence against his daughter, Ingrid.

Despite the early exit in the 1,500m, Ingebrigtsen will contest the 5,000m heats on Friday. He said he believes he is better placed to challenge over that distance and pointed to his recent global successes at 5,000m as a foundation for his hopes.

Ingebrigtsen's elimination ensures the 1,500m title in Tokyo will be open to athletes who navigated the heats, and it will hand an additional opportunity to runners who have shown strong form this season. For Ingebrigtsen, the result underlines the lingering impact of his injury layoff as he seeks to recover form and contend in the longer event later in the championships.