5 km World Championships: Seare beats Ingebrigtsen to claim gold in 12:56

Eritrean Dawit Seare won the world title in the 5 km road race on Saturday, September 19, in Copenhagen, finishing ahead of Norwegian Jakob Ingebrigtsen after a final sprint. He crossed the line in 12 minutes 56 seconds, setting a new record for Eritrea.

Ingebrigtsen, who had taken the lead in the final meters, was overtaken by Seare in the home stretch. The two-time Olympic champion finished second in 12:59, which also marked a record for Norway.

Eritrea secured a second athlete on the podium with Saymon Amanuel. The 19-year-old runner claimed third place in 13:00, improving his personal best by one second ahead of Australian Ky Robinson.

Seare thus confirms his progress following his African title in the 5,000 meters earlier this year. He had finished fourth in the 5 km at the inaugural World Road Running Championships in Riga in 2023.

The race in Copenhagen unfolded in the final kilometer. After an acceleration from Ethiopian Mezgebu Sime, Seare took the lead before being briefly surpassed by Ingebrigtsen, then made a decisive surge in the last hundred meters.