Norwegian takes on Stewy McSweyn and a British contingent led by Elliot Giles in the 1500m at the opening Wanda Diamond League of the year

There are few more exciting talents in world athletics than Jakob Ingebrigtsen and the 20-year-old middle-distance runner is coming to Gateshead International Stadium on May 23 to face a metric mile line-up that includes top names from Australia, Britain and elsewhere.

The announcement of his participation in the Müller Grand Prix coincides with the news that organisers are able to welcome 2000 fans into the venue. Yet his inclusion in the meeting, together with previously announced athletes like Dina Asher-Smith, Laura Muir and Mondo Duplantis, would have all but guaranteed a near-12,000 capacity crowd had it not been for the social distancing rules that are still in place in the UK.

Ingebrigtsen is the European record-holder for 1500m thanks to the mark of 3:28.68 set in Monaco last year and he is also the reigning European champion for the distance, as well as at 5000m – titles which, amazingly, he won in 2018 when aged just 17.

In March he graced the cover of our monthly magazine – which you can buy by clicking here – and now he is competing on British soil in his build-up to the Tokyo Olympics.

Ingebrigtsen said: “I had a great time racing in Glasgow at the European Indoor Championships a couple of years ago and I’ve also run a few times at the Olympic Stadium in London. So I’m hoping for another good experience in Britain at the Diamond League in Gateshead next week.

“I’ve been training hard lately but I enjoy testing myself in competition and this meeting will be a good race to see where I am in the run-up to the Olympics.”

Indeed, on one of his recent visits to the UK Ingebrigtsen won 3000m gold and 1500m silver at those European Indoor Championships in Glasgow before capturing gold at both distances at the same championships in Poland earlier this year.

The Gateshead 1500m race is likely to be missing leading east Africans due to the pandemic but the Norwegian will face a formidable challenge in the shape of Stewy McSweyn. The Australian has been a revelation in the last year or two with a national 1500m record of 3:30.51 to win the Diamond League in Doha last September.

In addition McSweyn ran an Oceania 3000m record of 7:28.02 when finishing a close third behind Ingebrigtsen and winner Jacob Kiplimo in Rome last summer. More recently he ran 3:50.61 for the mile over Christmas in Australia.

McSweyn is joined in Gateshead by his training partners from the Melbourne Track Club – the up-and-coming Matthew Ramsden and former Australian 1500m record-holder Ryan Gregson.

Adding to the quality is US-based Australian Ollie Hoare. In great shape lately, he ran a 3:33.19 to win at Mt Sac last weekend.

With this Wanda Diamond League meeting moving from Morocco to the UK due to the pandemic, it means there is a strong domestic line-up. This includes Elliot Giles, George Mills, Piers Copeland and Archie Davis.

Giles impressed during the recent indoor season when he clocked a sizzling 1:43.63 for 800m to smash the long-time British record held by Sebastian Coe, whereas Mills is the reigning British 1500m champion and the son of former England footballer Danny Mills.

As well as the news relating to spectators, the event was also boosted this week by the announcement that BBC has gained rights to the Wanda Diamond League for the next four years and will be showing the Müller Grand Prix Gateshead live on BBC Two from 7pm on May 23.