Norway's Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen has undergone surgery on his Achilles tendon in the US, stating that the procedure is "not as bad as it seems" despite a potentially long recovery period. The 25-year-old athlete revealed he had initially injured his left Achilles last April but was determined to compete at the World Championships in September, where he failed to secure a medal.
Ingebrigtsen's injury flared up again in January and required surgery to remove scar tissue surrounding the paratenon, a protective sheath that surrounds the Achilles tendon. He has been advised to follow a rehabilitation plan over the next couple of months before returning to competition.
The athlete expressed relief that the surgery went smoothly and will enable him to make a full recovery. Ingebrigtsen won Olympic gold in the 1500m event at the Tokyo Games in 2021 and took the 5,000m title at the Paris Games last year. However, he was less successful at the World Championships in Tokyo, where he finished 10th in both events.
The athlete added that his Achilles tendon itself is "absolutely fine" but the protective sheath surrounding it has not been able to recover properly due to scar tissue. Ingebrigtsen is now focused on regaining full fitness ahead of upcoming competitions, including the European Championships in August.
Ingebrigtsen's injury flared up again in January and required surgery to remove scar tissue surrounding the paratenon, a protective sheath that surrounds the Achilles tendon. He has been advised to follow a rehabilitation plan over the next couple of months before returning to competition.
The athlete expressed relief that the surgery went smoothly and will enable him to make a full recovery. Ingebrigtsen won Olympic gold in the 1500m event at the Tokyo Games in 2021 and took the 5,000m title at the Paris Games last year. However, he was less successful at the World Championships in Tokyo, where he finished 10th in both events.
The athlete added that his Achilles tendon itself is "absolutely fine" but the protective sheath surrounding it has not been able to recover properly due to scar tissue. Ingebrigtsen is now focused on regaining full fitness ahead of upcoming competitions, including the European Championships in August.