Ingebrigtsen dominates 1500m at European Indoors

Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen strode to victory in the 1500m at the European Indoor Championships on Friday, breaking the championship record as he retained his title.

The Norwegian crossed the line in 3min 33.95sec ahead of in-form British athlete Neil Gourley who was timed in 3:34.23 while Azeddine Habz of France claimed the bronze medal in 3:35.39.

Ingebrigtsen repeated his success in the championships in Torun, Poland, in 2021.

World record holder Femke Bol eased through her semifinal of the women's 400 metres.

The Dutch athlete, who shattered the four-decade-old world record at her national championships last month, won at a stroll in 52.19sec and will be a hot favourite for Saturday's final in Istanbul.

The time was almost three seconds slower than her world record of 49.26.

Her Swiss coach Laurent Meuwly told AFP on the eve of the championships that the 23-year-old Dutch athlete, already a world silver medallist and Olympic bronze medallist in the 400m hurdles, had big ambitions.

"She wants to write history, to perhaps become the most bemedalled athlete in Europe, or even more," he said.

"Her world record is faster than Allyson Felix's best time outdoors, so it makes you think because Felix is probably the greatest female athlete in history."

British sprinter Daryll Neita showed she has the 60m gold medal in her sights as she won her heat in 7.14 ahead of the final later on Friday.

The Swiss woman expected to be her closest challenger, Mujinga Kambundji, clocked 7.18 to win her heat.

Meanwhile, Belgium's double Olympic heptathlon champion Nafissatou Thiam, broke the pentathlon world indoor record with a score of 5 055 points.

Thiam finished ahead of Poland's Adrianna Sulek (5 014 points) while fellow Belgian, Noor Vidts took bronze (4 823).