Jakob Ingebrigtsen undergoes surgery on Achilles tendon after ‘flare-up’

Two-time Olympic champion Jacob Ingebrigtsen underwent surgery on an Achilles tendon injury in the US, but said “it’s not as bad as it looks”.

In a worst-case scenario, recovery time from an Achilles tendon operation could take up to 10 months, but the 25-year-old Norwegian said on his YouTube channel:, external He was looking at a rehabilitation plan “for the next couple of months.”

Ingebrigtsen said he first injured his left Achilles tendon last April, but was determined to compete at the world championships in September, where he failed to win a medal.

The injury worsened again in January, and he said it became “100% necessary” to have surgery to remove scar tissue surrounding the paratenon, a protective sheath surrounding the Achilles tendon.

“This is of course not something to take lightly but it is absolutely the right thing for the length of my career,” Ingebrigtsen posted on Instagram, alongside a photo of himself sitting in a wheelchair, wearing a protective boot.

“The surgery went very smoothly and I am relieved to have a clear path to recovery and back to the starting line after so many months of uncertainty.”