Jakob Ingebrigtsen suffers shock 1500m exit at World Championships in Tokyo

Jakob Ingebrigtsen described his performance as "terrible" after he was eliminated in the heats of the men's 1500 metres at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo on Sunday.

The 24-year-old Norwegian, a two-time Olympic and world champion, finished eighth in his heat and will not have the opportunity to claim the world outdoor 1500m title inside the same stadium where he won Olympic gold four years ago. He told BBC Sport the race had been "perfect" tactically but that his preparation had left him unable to deliver the necessary performance.

"I was terrible," Ingebrigtsen said. "Unfortunately I have lost too much and I have not been able to prepare. 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 he had "been glued to the floor" during a prolonged injury period and that the result was a reminder of the limits of his current fitness.

Britons Josh Kerr, Jake Wightman and Neil Gourley progressed from the heats, boosting their hopes for medals when the semi-finals are held on Monday and the final on Wednesday. Notable exits alongside Ingebrigtsen included France's Azeddine Habz and Kenyan teenager Phanuel Koech, who have been among the fastest 1500m runners this year.

Ingebrigtsen's season has been disrupted by an Achilles issue that kept him out of competition for about six months. He began the year in strong form, breaking world indoor records for both the 1500m and the mile in February and taking gold in the 1500m and 3,000m at the World Indoor Championships in March, but the subsequent injury forced a lengthy layoff.

Speaking to Norwegian broadcaster NRK ahead of the championships, Ingebrigtsen described the recovery period as "pitch dark," saying he had "taken the trip down to the injury cellar several times this spring." Away from the track, he has also faced public scrutiny this year after the trial of his father, Gjert Ingebrigtsen, who was cleared of abusing Jakob but found guilty of violence against his daughter, Ingrid.

Despite the setback in the 1500m, Ingebrigtsen will return to the track on Friday to contest the heats of the 5,000m, an event in which he has won the past three global titles and where he believes he is better placed to contend for gold. He expressed determination to move on from the disappointment and focus on his next race.

The men's 1500m semi-finals are scheduled for Monday at 13:30 BST, with the final set for Wednesday. Organisers and athletes said the championships would continue to provide a high level of competition, with several medal contenders still in contention across the middle- and long-distance events.