“The best is yet to come.” At first glance, it might have sounded like a hopeful message from an athlete searching for redemption after a year to forget. But Jakob Ingebrigtsen has never been one to dwell on setbacks. The two-time Olympic champion spent most of 2025 battling a stubborn injury that cost him every race of the season. After finally opting for surgery, the 25-year-old stepped out of the spotlight, leaving fans with only the occasional social media post and the lingering question of what comes next.

His manager, Daniel Wessfeldt, has now confirmed the worst: Jakob Ingebrigtsen won’t be racing in the first half of the 2026 season.

“You need to be at a certain level when you compete,” Wessfeldt told Norwegian newspaper VG. “Therefore, there will be no races in May and June, that’s quite clear. There will be nothing at the Bislett Games. I also don’t know when he might be ready after that.”

“It all depends on how his training progresses through late April and into May,” he continued. “Things can move quickly, and he could get into shape, which would make competing in the second half of the season a possibility.”

That doesn’t come as a major surprise, especially since Ingebrigtsen’s goal has been to compete in several of this season’s major championships, including the European Championship. And the 25-year-old confirmed that, in an interview with the Guardian, he was targeting the prestigious Bislett Games, which kick off on June 10 in Oslo. However, with the Olympian’s recovery not proceeding as expected, the situation has changed.

“We have to hope and believe in the second part of the season. Competing in June is definitely too early,” Wessfeldt added. “It’s not just about being healthy; he has to reach a certain level to race against the best. He can’t risk anything at the start of the season.”

The Diamond League circuit kicks off before the Bislett Games, on May 16, and the final may have also been on his list, but as per Wessfeldt’s latest comments, that won’t be happening. But while there are no World Championships or Olympics this season, the 2026 season is still packed with events, including the inaugural Ultimate Championships in September and more.

Yet there are questions about whether Jakob Ingebrigtsen can still perform at the highest level, especially in the aftermath of his 2025 season, which he raced with a problematic Achilles injury. Because before that, the 25-year-old was one of the best. His two Olympic gold medals alone showcased that, but between September 2023 and February 2025, Ingebrigtsen set four world records.

That includes the 1500m short track, the 2000m, the 3000m, and the mile short track while clocking in personal bests in the 1500m, the 2 miles, and more. And now, having undergone surgery on the left Achilles sheath to remove scar tissue, Wessfeldt is confident that his star will return brighter than ever.

“The chances are very good when you see how easily Jakob gets into shape when he’s pain-free,” Wessfeldt added. “The procedure went well, but it takes time to build up to the training volume required to be at that level. If everything goes according to plan from here, he can be very good in the second half of the season.”

That does give fans some hope of seeing the 25-year-old star back at his best in the second half of the season, but it hasn’t assuaged all their concerns. However, Ingebrigtsen himself has been very open about his injury, posting and talking about it constantly.

Jakob Ingebrigtsen opens up on his Achilles injury

His recovery has been gradual but consistent, especially since he underwent surgery only in February 2026. Since then, Jakob Ingebrigtsen has eased back into training, even completing an 8km run with high school students just 23 days after the procedure. The surgery he had typically requires up to a year of rehabilitation and recovery, making his return remarkable.

Ingebrigtsen has also dismissed speculation that he underwent Achilles tendon surgery, explaining that this is why his recovery time has been shorter than expected.

“My Achilles tendon is absolutely fine and has been for many months – it is the sheath around it that has been causing the issue, and unfortunately, it has not been able to recover properly,” Ingebrigtsen said his YouTube channel in February.

“So the surgery by itself is not that big, which is why the recovery time is somewhat short. Hopefully I am not going to be out for very long, but it is necessary for me to be healthy again.”

Yet despite that, the 25-year-old’s situation has clearly changed as he is set to miss multiple early-season meets to keep himself fit for the mid and late-season events. Now, only time will tell when Jakob Ingebrigtsen does make his comeback and whether his decision to take that extra time for rehabilitation pays off.