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Jakob Ingebrigtsen completed a remarkable comeback on Friday, surging to victory in the men's 5,000 metres at the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship just seven months after Achilles surgery had left his campaign in doubt.The Olympic champion pocketed the $150,000 winner's cheque after clocking a season's best 12 minutes 59.24 seconds, producing the trademark late kick that has become his calling card by moving from the back of the field over the closing laps before sweeping past his rivals with 100 metres remaining.A day after writing on Instagram that "a couple of months ago it looked unlikely I'd have a season at all", the Norwegian underlined his return to full fitness with another clinical display."It's very good to be back, I haven't run too many 5000m this year – or too many races in general," Ingebrigtsen said. "Maybe a little bit extra nervous today ... amazing to do sub-13 (minutes)."The 25-year-old crossed the line, casually stopped the time on his watch, and wagged one finger at the crowd in celebration after holding off Olympic 1,500m champion Cole Hocker, who finished second in 13:00.05, while American teammate Parker Wolfe took third in 13:00.13.For much of the race Ingebrigtsen bided his time at the back of the pack, content to let others dictate the pace before methodically working his way forward over the final two laps and unleashing a devastating finishing burst when it mattered most to win by 10 metres.The Ultimate Championship has been introduced to draw new fans, ditching the traditional championship model of three athletes per country in favour of high-stakes fields featuring the world's top-16 runners and top-eight competitors in the throws and jumps.The event's opening night at Gyula Zsivotzky National Athletics Centre wrapped athletics in a glitzy production with bright pink and gold lights, darkened stands and a black infield that made the venue feel more like an enormous stage.There was pounding music and dramatic walkouts – the men's hammer field entered the stadium to "Wrecking Ball" by Miley Cyrus.World Athletics said opening night drew a sold-out crowd of 20,557 fans, with 60% of fans coming from Budapest, while the remaining 40% were international visitors. 

Jakob Ingebrigtsen sealed a sensational comeback from achilles tendon surgery to win a record-extending seventh European championship gold in Birmingham on Monday.As the Norwegian produced a devastating trademark finish for gold in the 5,000m, it was hard to believe that it was the 25-year-old's first competitive race in 324 days.His last outing in anger was a 10th placed finish in the 10,000m at last year's Tokyo world champs.Back to his barn-storming best after surgery, Ingebrigtsen did not disappoint in Birmingham, delivering a true masterclass in measured middle-distance running.He timed 13min 15.29sec for victory to further cement his place as the most successful male athlete in European history. He is unbeaten at the Euros since taking a golden 1,500/5,000m double as a fresh-faced teenager back in Berlin in 2018.Germany's Florian Bremm took silver and France's Etienne Daguinos bronze in Birmingham, but the race was all about the returning Ingebrigtsen."Coming from the lowest of lows to be European champion again means the world to me. Not even I believed it could happen coming here," Ingebrigtsen said."I am starting to feel more like myself. I was hoping my fitness would be okay. Before this race I worked on my breathing and really tried to focus on running smooth."The Norwegian added: "I doubted myself every day coming in to this and every minute leading up to the last lap today, but I'm always hoping to do my best."Bronze medallist Daguinos said Ingebrigtsen was "a legend of our sport. We knew if he's here tonight it was because he is good shape".There was reason for late local cheer at the Alexander Stadium as Amy Hunt made the most of her rich vein of form for victory in the women's 100m in 11.00sec.Poland's Ewa Swoboda took silver and Belgium's Delphine Nkansa bronze as Hunt's teammate and defending champion Dina Asher-Smith came in fifth. Schilder wins third titleA dominant Jessica Schilder of the Netherlands claimed a third successive victory in the women's shot put.Schilder managed a best of 20.73 metres with her last effort in a Dutch one-two as teammate Jorinde van Klinken took silver with a personal best of 19.64m.Germany's Olympic champion Yemisi Mabry, formerly Ogunleye, rounded out the podium with 19.50m in the first medal event of the August 10-16 championships."I will never get tired of this feeling, I will never get bored of winning these medals," said Schilder."I shouldn't be saying this, maybe, but this was the easiest (of the three European titles). There was quite a gap with the other competitors."Schilder's victory saw her become the first woman to win this event on three occasions since Nadezhda Chizhova of the Soviet Union did so four times in a row between 1966 and 1974.There was a similar story in the men's shot put as Italy's Leonardo Fabbri defended his title in some style.Fabbri launched a best of 22.31m in an Italian 1-2 with Zane Weir (21.12), while Sweden's Wictor Petterson claimed bronze (20.86).There was a first gold of the champs for three-time 400m hurdles champion Karsten Warholm, who was part of the Norwegian quartet that won the 4x400m mixed relay.Amalie Iuel, Andreas Ofstad Kulseng and fast-finishing Henriette Jaeger clocked a championship record of 3:09.62 for victory ahead of Britain and the Netherlands. 

Jakob Ingebrigtsen is known for his fierce competitiveness and relentless pursuit of victory and has never been one to show up just for the sake of it but he finds himself in a race of a different kind - against the clock due to injury.The twice Olympic and world champion has been sidelined for much of the season with an Achilles injury and is in a battle to heal in time for this month’s World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, where he is due to run in the 1,500 and 5,000 metres.“This season has been pretty miserable,” the Norwegian told reporters on a video call Friday. “I’m definitely racing against the clock to make the world championships, but if I’m on the start line, of course, I’m going to try to win and believe that I can win.”For an athlete who loves the thrill of racing, sitting out has been a bitter pill.“This is more or less the worst-case scenario for me,” the 24-year-old said. “I’ve had to sit at home and watch the whole season go on, all the races.“Worst case, because I’m a competitor - and to compete, you need to participate. But I don’t only want to participate, I want to fight for the winning position.”Ingebrigtsen has pushed himself through cross-training, including aqua jogging - anything to maintain his edge.MENTAL STRENGTHAsked how much he has missed competing, Ingebrigtsen said he never stopped.“I’m competing every day,” he said. “With aqua jogging, you can go as hard as you can for as long as you can. So it only comes down to your mental strength. So that’s kind of been my competition: How long can I go today without stopping? How fast can I go? Which heart rate can I achieve? I’ve tried to push my alternative training as much as I can, (so) fitness-wise, I’m in a relatively good place.”At the same thing, there is nothing better than lining up at the start line on the sport’s biggest stage against his rivals.“(Top runners) love the competition, we love chasing victories, and fighting against the best runners in the world,” he added. “Going a period without it is definitely something that’s missing. But that’s why I’m very motivated to get back.” Ingebrigtsen typically front-runs the 1,500m, using his fitness and fast pace to control the race, while he employs a come-from-behind strategy in the 5,000m, sitting back in the pack before using his powerful kick to sprint to the front.Despite the injury layoff, Ingebrigtsen does not plan to alter his race plan at the worlds.“If I’m on a start line with a bib on my chest and spikes on my feet, I’m going to do what I’ve always done, and have obviously the same approach that I’ve always had.”Ingebrigtsen often has his daughter Filippa, who was born in June 2024, with him at training, including at a recent altitude camp in Saint Moritz. She provides balance, he said.“Sports are very different to normal everyday life, and it’s very easy to get stuck in the bubble and only focus on a very specific thing, and in the long-term, I think that can be a negative and challenging,” he said.“Watching her grow up and learn new things and develop is a big positive in the way that I can focus on something else and then go back and be very good, prepared to do the other things that you have to do to perform.”