For the second major championship in a row, Jakob Ingebrigtsen will attempt to defend one of his titles despite having not raced at all in the build-up.
Ingebrigtsen’s last race dates back to the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo where he gamely battled to a tenth-place finish in the 5000m, a far cry from his gold medal-winning exploits at the 2022 and 2023 World Athletics Championships but a stoic and respectable showing in a season which was blighted by Achilles tendon problems.
European record - Andreas Almgren (SWE) 12:44.27
European lead - Andreas Almgren (SWE) 12:48.61
Championship record - Jack Buckner (GBR) 13:10.15
Roma 2024 medallists
- Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR) 13:20.11
- George Mills (GBR) 13:21.38
- Dominic Lobalu (SUI) 13:21.61
Five to watch
- Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR)
- Jimmy Gressier (FRA)
- Isaac Kimeli (BEL)
- Dominic Lobalu (SUI)
- Florian Bremm (GER)
The 2026 season has brought yet more injury woes to Ingebrigtsen who underwent surgery on his left Achilles tendon in late January. It has been a long road back to fitness for Ingebrigtsen, who has also battled illness this summer, but the six-time European champion has declared himself “healthy” again and ready to race.
“If you’re waiting for the perfect preparation, perfect conditions, perfect timing, you’ll be waiting your whole life.
“Anyone who has watched me race over the years will know that competition is what drives me. I am healthy, training has been going well and after discussing with my team, we reached the conclusion that there is no reason not to race,” explained Ingebrigtsen on Instagram from his training base in St. Moritz.
Ingebrigtsen has never been beaten at the European Athletics Championships and his six gold medals - three in the 1500m and three in the 5000m - makes him the most successful male athlete in the history of the championships.
But if he wants to extend his record and win his fourth 5000m title, he will have to defeat a field which includes two medallists from the 2025 World Athletics Championships: Belgium’s Isaac Kimeli and Jimmy Gressier from France, the 5000m silver and bronze medallists respectively behind Cole Hocker in Tokyo.
Both Kimeli and Gressier are aiming to contest both the 5000m and 10,000m at the European Athletics Championships.
Another athlete who is planning to double up is Switzerland's Dominic Lobalu, the 5000m bronze medallist and 10,000m champion at the 2024 European Athletics Championships in Rome. Lobalu arrives in Birmingham in excellent form having recently won the 5000m in the Monaco Diamond League in a sprint finish 12:52.54.
Some of the notable absentees from the 5000m include European record-holder Andreas Almgren who is focusing solely on the 10,000m while European cross country champion Thierry Ndikumwenayo from Spain, European 10km champion and record-holder Yann Schrub from France and 2024 European 5000m silver medallist George Mills from Great Britain are all absent due to injury.
Another late withdrawal from both the 5000m and 10,000m is Germany's Mohamed Abdilaahi who leads the 2026 world list in both the 3000m and 10,000m due to a foot injury. The German challenge will now be led by Florian Bremm who is the second fastest in the field with a recently set lifetime best of 12:57.80.
Other names to watch include Portugal's José Carlos Pinto, France's Etienne Daguinos and the Irish triumvirate of Brian Fay, Darragh McElhinney and Nick Griggs.
The sole British representative in the 5000m will be James West. The hosts have an excellent tradition in this event at the European Athletics Championships with Mo Farah winning three titles between 2010 and 2016 while Jack Buckner, who is now the CEO of UK Athletics, still holds the championship record with 13:10.15 clocking from Stuttgart in 1986.