“I’m glad I just said: ‘Oh my God!'” Jake Wightman proposes. As he recalls his reaction when he won the 1500m in a remarkable performance at the world championships five months earlier.
“Imagine if I had decided to say something far worse. You could say anything at that moment, couldn’t you? I could have said, “What the f***?” and that would have been repeated.”
When I point out that Wightman could have been a lasting meme, he laughs. “Exactly. Perhaps I should have”
His father was the stadium commentator at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon. Geoff’s professional commentary on the latter phases of the race. Until he lifted his arms after Jake won, was captured on video and went viral.
When Geoff realized that his face was filling the entire screen. He replied with restrained emotion, “I must explain why the camera is focused on me.” That is my child. I coach him. And the global champion in him.”
Jake’s accomplishment, especially in fending off Jakob Ingebrigtsen. Norway’s often unbeatable Olympic champion, would have garnered much more attention. If he had used colorful and vulgar language when winning.
But Wightman is realistic about the limitations of athletics. And is more concerned with expressing his feelings in that ecstatic moment.
“It’s unbelievable,” he says. “In Tokyo, I was devastated that I couldn’t rewind time and try again. But the race was over [when he placed 10th in the Olympic final in August 2021]. At the world championships, it meant that I had completed the task and that it could not be undone.
These emotions are on opposite extremities of the emotional spectrum. The first was a full disappointment, whereas the second was shock and elation. “The moment I had imagined had finally arrived.”
His father, in his capacity as a coach, honed Wightman’s winning mindset. Wightman recalls telling his father the day before the race, “Because of Tokyo, I want to win a medal here.” “Part of the reason I blew up in Tokyo was that I wanted to stay with the leaders to give myself a chance to win the Olympics.
But if I had held back, I would have had a greater chance of winning a medal. I stated, “I don’t want to finish up fighting to win and get nothing.” He responded, “Yeah, but how frequently do you stand on a global final start line and attempt to win something?”. We determined that I would attempt.
“Before the race, I told myself, ‘If I’m in contention at the bell. I’ll try to get to the lead before the final 200 meters and see if I can hold on.'” The odds are tiny, but I felt fantastic. And when I passed them on the backstretch, I knew it would be close.
You do not know how Jakob will react because he has never been placed in such a situation. I was aware that he may be even stronger and breeze by me. But I believed I had a good chance.
After the race, what did Ingebrigtsen have to say to him? “ He attempted to describe what he ought to have done. I listened and said: ‘Yeah, maybe, but you didn’t.’ He received negative criticism for an interview in which he stated. “It’s never pleasant to lose to an inferior opponent.”
The most important thing was that I defeated him in the world’s final. After losing to him in Oslo a month earlier. He was genuinely a gentleman. He kept saying: ‘You ran well.’ I hope to have earned some esteem.”
Wightman chuckles bitterly and says, “He never lost again the rest of the season. And the worst part is that I pricked the bear and he’ll never allow me to be in that position again. So I have to get better and keep completing swiftly.”
Ingebrigtsen’s mystique was tarnished, but, as Wightman notes, “his strength is perceived as arrogance. But it’s complete confidence that he will win every race. This is what makes him so deadly since his confidence grows with each victory.
To defeat him, you must perform flawlessly, which is likely why he was a bit bitter against me. It will be exciting to race him again before the world championships in Hungary next August.”
Steve Cram won the same race in 1983, and Sebastian Coe defended his Olympic championship the following year. Nonetheless, the British output of great 1500-meter runners ceased until Wightman’s unexpected breakthrough.
He argues that the legacy of doping is a major reason for the lack of success of British middle-distance runners. During the past nearly four decades. “The 1990s and 2000s were polluted for Brits, particularly in my event. And there was likely a great deal of cheating. It became impossible for Brits to compete with [doped-up runners] throughout those decades.”
Doping still a problem in track and field? “Yes. There are always rumors about athletes, and there is typically no smoke without fire. But I bet my house on cleanliness, and in the United Kingdom. We have always been taught to follow the regulations.
I believe the most important thing is that you can still defeat [the dopers]. Even though I have always viewed my competitors as clean. However, not all of them may be clean.”
Wightman responds affirmatively when asked if it is inevitable that some of the top 1500-meter runners are doping. Two or three of the top 25 must exist. That is how the numbers in the sport function, such as the number of persons who are banned. There is also the unfortunate reality that cheaters will go their entire careers without being caught.
I am fortunate in that I do not know anyone who cheats; hence, I harbor no hatred. You will always have suspicions, and there will always be cheating. But, as I previously stated, we can still defeat anyone, clean or filthy.”
Already committed to midwinter training is Wightman. He expresses regret when he says, “If I ever won the Olympics or the world championship. I’d enjoy a sabbatical year. However, such is not permitted in this sport.
This is the worst part since you have worked so hard to get to this stage. Only to have to work even harder the following year to continue. But I want to achieve it, so it’s a different kind of incentive.”
He is often forthright when he admits, “I dislike training, but I adore competing and striving to win. To maintain my appetite, I exercise with men who are superior to me in certain areas. It is not a negative thing to receive a spanking from them. This woman inquired who we were during our hill workout.
My mother stated, “One of them won the world championships in the summer.” The woman said, “Who among you is the world champion?” When they pointed to me, she said, “Oh, congratulations!” But she had just witnessed me race up this hill and finish last. Now, I’m training with a bunch of [distance runners] who can help me have an even better year next year.”
His father remains his coach, and they train together at least three times per week. “At the world championships, he was pleased, but as soon as I completed it, he asked, ‘Right, what’s next?’ It’s now all about what I can do to win the world championships again.”
At the words, the tight relationship between Wightman and his parents, both of whom were great runners, was evident. Wightman says he was moved since, “in general, my father does not display emotion when I run.
The footage of him commentating that Kath [Merry, the former Great Britain athlete] filmed was therefore really enjoyable to watch. I would not have known how he reacted if I hadn’t seen that.
As a father and a coach, I’m sure it was monumental for him to personalize that moment as the stadium announcer. I had never witnessed him break the fourth wall and speak about me as his son. The closest he would come would be to make a joke about how I resemble a former milkman.
Wightman’s eyes roll. “I’m so accustomed to him commentating because he did so at school races. We also used to sit with him in the commentary box during the British championships.
Therefore, when I began competing in major championships, his commentary never struck me as odd. It implied that I had never had a coach there, as he has always been working.
Therefore, I’ve gotten quite independent, and it was cool because, if I’d had a poor performance, he wouldn’t have seen it since he needs to watch the front of the race. He would need to ask me, “What occurred and where did you come from?” I’d be like: ‘Good job you didn’t see it.'”
Sam, his twin brother, used to be one of his closest school rivals. Wightman recalls almost stooping to desperation by concealing Sam’s spikes before a race. His conscience prevailed, and he returned the items before his brother discovered them.
However, he smiles when he suggests that Sam, who is now an actor, was also competitive in school plays. “When we were in elementary school, I never received a good role. One year, the school production was The Twelve Days of Christmas, and the finest moment was when the doves began to sing.
I was given the poorest piece, a piper after four of them had been eliminated. It was quite awful. Sam was one of the four calling birds, and when a fifth was needed, he was asked, “Would Jake like to be a calling bird?” “I would have enjoyed it, but he said no.”
Sam is staying with us over the holiday break, so Wightman invites him to join our talk. Whether relating such memories or reflecting on life as twins and the different obstacles of their respective careers, they are entertaining and thoughtful company.
The brothers hope to launch a podcast on being twins next year, and if our 10-minute conversation is any indication, it will be amusing.
Wightman’s primary objective is to defend his world title before pursuing Olympic gold in 2024. “Becoming Olympic champion is the ultimate goal,” he says. “It’s unfortunate that the average person has no idea what winning the world entails.
However, everyone comprehends the Olympics. So it’s a much larger event, and I’ve proven I can defeat the competition at the Olympics. This is the sole factor that sustains my motivation.”
