On 8 February, at the 2025 Millrose Games in New York City, US, American runner Yared Nuguse fired on all cylinders to set the new indoor mile world record of 3:46.63. However, this mark did not last long – because on 13 February, just five days later, Jakob Ingebrigtsen ran an indoor mile in 3:45:14 to take the world record for himself.
The Norwegian set the indoor mile record at this year’s World Indoor Tour meet in Liévin, France. A multiple Olympic and World Championships gold medallist in the 5000m and 1500m, who has attained several other major championships wins on the track and in cross-country, Ingebrigtsen is no stranger to securing world records. As such, this new mark simply adds to his already rich collection of all-time bests.
Indeed, the 24-year-old powerhouse owns the fastest-ever times in the 2000m (4:43.13), 3000m (7:17.55) and two-mile distance (7:54.10). What’s more, despite setting the indoor 1500m record (3:30.60) in Liévin in 2022, his 1500m split in the indoor mile this year, on Thursday, was even faster – 3:29.63.
What everyone's reading
Ingebrigtsen has also run the third-fastest outdoor mile time of all time, having covered the distance in a rapid 3:43.73 at the Prefontaine Classic – an iconic US meet in Eugene, Oregon – in 2023. Hicham El Guerrouj, who ran the outdoor mile in 3:43:13 in 1999, still holds the overall world record.
Ingebrigtsen was ecstatic after his latest race in Liévin, hyping up the crowd in his post-race interview.
‘It’s very hard,’ he said, reflecting on his world-topping performance. ‘You have to push all the time. You have to be focused for the whole race. It was tough, but of course it’s worth it when it goes like this.’
Ingebrigtsen’s race in Liévin was markedly different from Nuguse’s win last weekend. At the Millrose Games, Nuguse – who finished one place ahead of Ingebrigtsen in the men’s 1500m final at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris to win the bronze medal – had to work hard to hold off the field. He was under particular pressure from Hobbs Kessler, who finished in second place in a time that also bettered the previous indoor mile record.
Ingebrigtsen, meanwhile, had little competition on Thursday and was aided by pacing lights that were programmed to Nuguse’s world record time. Stefan Nillessen finished second in 3:52.70 – a national record for the Netherlands – and Ireland’s Cathal Doyle was third in 3:53.18.
Shortly after the race, Nuguse congratulated Ingebrigtsen via his Instagram story. ‘You win some you lose some, was a lit 5 days,’ he posted, alongside a photo of an anthropomorphic banana.
