Jakob Ingebrigtsen set to make return from injury at European Championships in Birmingham

Jakob Ingebrigtsen appears set to compete at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham as the Norwegian nears a return from a long injury lay-off.

The Norwegian has not featured in a competitive race in 2026 after undergoing surgery earlier in the year on an Achilles issue that also heavily impacted his 2025 season.

But Ingebrigtsen appears set to target more continental success in August having seemingly confirmed his participation in a social media post.

The 25-year-old has won double gold in the 1500m and 5000m at each of the last three European Championships.

“I’ve heard Birmingham is nice this time of year…” Ingebrigtsen said on Instagram, teasing his return.

Struggling with that Achilles strain, the two-time Olympic champion was below his best at the World Championships in Tokyo last year as he finished only 10th in the 5000m and failed to advance from the first round of the 1500m.

Ingebrigtsen has done the double in Berlin, Munich and Rome and is thus far unbeaten at the Euros. The 2026 edition begins in Birmingham on 10 August.

The Norwegian is perhaps likeliest to enter the 5000m, and will certainly not renew his rivalry over the shorter distance with Josh Kerr.

The Scot is still chasing a first European title and recently broke the mile world record in London, but has opted out after prioritising the Commonwealth Games.

Keely Hodgkinson, Dina Asher-Smith and Katarina Johnson-Thompson have, however, been named in a strong Great Britain team having missed the ongoing Games in Glasgow.

Olympic champion Hodgkinson (800m) and Asher-Smith (100m) will aim to defend their European titles at Alexander Stadium next month, when Britain hosts the championships for the first time.

Johnson-Thompson, who was forced to withdraw from the 2024 edition in Rome through injury, will return to compete in the heptathlon, having claimed silver at the Paris Olympics.

Amy Hunt, who won 200m silver at last year’s world championships in Tokyo, will bid for European glory over both 100m and 200m.