Jake Wightman: ‘I’d never seen my dad break the third wall and say anything about me’

The 1500m world champion on his father’s commentary during his victory, Ingebrigtsen’s reaction and why he hid his twin’s running spikes at school

“I’m glad I just said: ‘Oh my God!’” Jake Wightman suggests as he remembers his reaction when he crossed the line to win the 1500m in a stunning result at the world championships five months ago. “Imagine if I’d chosen to say something a lot worse. In that moment you could say anything, couldn’t you? I could have said: ‘What the fuck?’ and that would have been seen again and again.”

Wightman laughs when I point out that he could have become a permanent meme. “Exactly. Maybe I should have.”

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