Ingebrigsten, Hocker Rivalry At Budapest Ultimate Championships
Athletes Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Cole Hocker are set to compete in the 1500m and 5000m races at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest. The rivalry has intensified following public comments regarding sportsmanship and racing tactics.
Why it matters
The high-profile rivalry between these top-tier middle-distance runners is a major draw for global track and field fans.
Following more fireworks in Brussels, Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Cole Hocker are set to clash once more at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in both the men’s 1500m and 5000m.
Ingebrigtsen edged out Hocker at the Wanda Diamond League Final on Friday, finishing fourth with a 3:30.52. Hocker slotted into seventh place with a 3:30.80, both ultimately falling to 20-year-old Australian sensation Cam Myers .
Gasoline was thrown onto the fiery rivalry after Brussels courtesy of Ingebrigtsen’s post-race comments, where he called his competition “cowards” and “losers” after claiming that Hocker hid behind the pack instead of racing properly. Hocker then fired his own shot on social media, posting a story to Instagram saying “No excuses from me.”
On Saturday, Ingebrigtsen released a statement apologizing for his language after the meet.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in