Absent for the best part of a year with Achilles problems, Ingebrigtsen trailed for much of the race in Birmingham — until a trademark late surge saw him retain his European crown.

What a comeback from Jakob Ingebrigtsen. The Norwegian successfully defended his European 5000m title on Monday (Aug 10) in Birmingham in brilliant style despite undergoing Achilles surgery in February.

Remarkably, he hadn’t raced for the best part of a year before arriving at the Alexander Stadium. Then, in the race itself, he loitered at the back of the field for much of the race, seemingly out of contention and low on fitness.

The 25-year-old often uses these tactics in 5000m races. He confidently stays out of trouble before ominously slicing through the field just in time for the business end of the race.

On Monday he didn’t look marvellous in the early stages, though. Perhaps we should have had more faith as he took his 15th consecutive European track title – and 23rd in total if you include age-group races, indoors and cross country.

The first half of the race saw the field strung out in almost single file, but entering the second half the pace began to slow and things bunched up. This allowed Ingebrigtsen to get back into the leading half dozen. In fact he went to the front with three-and-a-half laps to go – the reigning champion with a title to defend.

At this stage he surely began to grow in confidence and with three laps to go he put out his hand to Jimmy Gressier, the world 10,000m champion from France, alongside him – and they touched hands briefly and exchanged a smile.

Gressier then went into the lead with 1000m to go as the race grew in intensity. The race was not short of some physicality either. Nick Griggs of Ireland lost a shoe and it remained lying on the track halfway down the finish straight for the remainder of the race, the runner finishing a decent eighth in the circumstances.

Entering the final lap, Gressier still led and he maintained pole position rounding the final bend as they came into the home straight. Florian Bremm of Germany was on his shoulder, however, and began to kick past the Frenchman. Behind, Ingebrigtsen found himself slightly boxed with another Frenchman, Etienne Daguinos, on his outside.

Using all his experience and tactical acumen, though, Ingebrigtsen coolly swerved out a little, almost into lane three, before surging past Bremm and Gressier.

Charging through the line in 13:15.29, Ingebrigtsen was so full of running he looked up at the crowd as if to say “what about that!?” and carried on running at some speed into the bend.

Bremm finished runner-up in 13:15.60 with Daguinos snatching bronze in 13:16.09 ahead of Gressier’s 13:16.36.

In fifth, Ingebrigtsen’s training partner, Magnus Tuv Myhre of Norway, clocked 13:16.59. Dominic Lobalu of Switzerland, many people’s favourite coming into the event, was eighth after having led earlier in the race. James West of Britain was 12th.

The winner's splits? His final 3000m was 7:43, last kilometre 2:26 and closing 200m was 26.4.

“I dreamt of this moment two weeks ago when I put my name on the list (of entries),” said Ingebrigtsen. “I have been feeling a bit better every day and managed to do it.”

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The results described his performance as a "SB", or season's best, although that didn't quite tell the whole story of this remarkable race. As an aside, Jack Buckner's championship record of 13:10.15 from 1986 survived once again, although Ingebrigtsen was probably oblivious to that particular stat.

Ingebrigtsen might not be completely back to his imperious best yet but it was good enough on Monday to see off the best in Europe and he can look forward to the end of season Diamond League events with some confidence now.

Men's 5000m: 1 Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR) 13:15.29 SB; 2 Florian Bremm (GER) 13:15.60; 3 Etienne Daguinos (FRA) 13:16.09; 4 Jimmy Gressier (FRA) 13:16.36; 5 Magnus Tuv Myhre (NOR) 13:16.59 SB; 6 Mahadi Abdi Ali (NED) 13:17.17 SB; 7 Dominic Lobalu (SUI) 13:18.24; 8 Nicholas Griggs (IRL) 13:21.07