The international sports season opens , at least on the Old Continent , with the European cross, which this Sunday, December 8, brings together the best of the specialty in the Turkish city of Antalya, starting from the Norwegian Jacob Ingebrigtsen , who will try to regain the crown he lost last year in Brussels due to an Achilles tendon injury.
Ingebrigtsen is a versatile player with an insatiable appetite and does not miss any important competition unless he is injured, which happened last season when he had to abandon the indoor – or short, as you prefer – Again in a big way with a double of 1.500-5.000 the third in a row in Europe in Rome.
Then the rake will come in the final of the 1500 meters in Paris 2024 and the redemption in the 5000, with Second Olympic gold That gave a gloss to a great season, with the inclusion of the world record in the 3000-meter race.
So the Norwegian leaves as a favorite for re-release The titles of 2021 and 2022, to which we must add four more titles in the 20th subcategory, But it will not be easy because the assortment of competitors is very wide.
A strong Spanish team
Among them were the Spaniards led by Thierry ndekumwenayo, The last winner of the prestigious international oblique cross in Seville. The Burundian long-distance runner joins such prestigious names as Adel Meshaal, bronze in 2015, silver in 2017 and Abdul Samad okhleven. The Spanish team consists of 40 athletes and hopes to shine in a tournament that has always been grandiose in metals for our interests.
Ingebrigtsen will also have to keep an eye on the French Jan schroep, Who is defending the title , and the Italian Yemaniprahman Kripa, Gold at the European Half Marathon in Rome. In any case, if the Norwegian is suitable – He has re-set the Sierra Nevada car altitude- It will be difficult for someone to cough on it, especially because The flat track of the dokuma Park in Antalya is preferred by athletes who are accustomed to the track.
Patokletti wants to make history
In the women’s race, Nadia patokletti He has a date with the date because he can be The first athlete to win the title in the Under-20, 23 and absolute categories. Thus, the Italian crowned an exceptional year in which she achieved the 5000-10000 double at the European Championships in Rome before winning Historic silver in the 10,000 meters at the Paris Games.
Patokleti was already silver last year in Brussels on his debut in the senior category, behind -45 seconds-the Norwegian Caroline J. R. oshfdal, who will not be eligible for the fourth title in a row Due to an unspecified illness.
The northern long-distance runner in Antalya aspires to equal the four titles of the Turkish Jasmine Kahn, who holds the record for the women’s Championship, The crowns of the Ukrainian Serhiy Lebed were succeeded by the eight among men. Can, of Kenyan descent, has barely competed in the past two years so he is It is impossible to predict whether he poses a real threat to patokleti this Sunday.
Another athlete who can argue for the supremacy of the transalpine is the German Constanze Klosterhalfen although more for his record than for his current moment of form. Not in vain, he stayed More than a minute of patokleti at the last international cross in Alcobendas, Where the favorite this Sunday gave an exhibition.
