Andreas Almgren faces highly interesting competition in the 5,000 meters at BAUHAUS-galan on June 15. Selemon Barega, the Olympic winner from Tokyo 2021,
makes a very exciting season debut on the track – and Cole Hocker “the Shocker” who beat Jakob Ingebrigtsen to the Olympic gold in the 1,500 meters in Paris will also be starting.
Andreas Almgren, who is Sweden’s big running star with Swedish records in no less than eight (!) events, has already been confirmed to start in the 5,000 meters at BAUHAUS-galan. Now it is clear that Almgren will face high-class competition in the hunt for a new super race in front of the home crowd at Stockholm Olympic Stadium.
American Cole Hocker, also known as “the Shocker”, sent shockwaves through the athletics world when he sprinted home the gold medal in the 1500 metres at the
summer Olympic final in Paris – ahead of the big favourite Jakob Ingebrigtsen – in a new Olympic record: 3:27.65. This is the first time the 23-year-old has competed on Swedish soil, and he has shown that he can also run fast in the 5,000 metres. Last winter he was recorded at 12:57.82 indoors in Boston.
“I have heard a lot of good things about BAUHAUS-galan and the atmosphere in Stockholm – so I am really looking forward to competing there for the first time. It will be extra fun to meet Andreas and the other strong competitors”, says Hocker.
Selemon Barega, the Olympic gold medalist in the 10,000 meters in Tokyo 2021 and with two World Championship medals under his belt, is making a comeback at BAUHAUS-galan – seven years after he won the 5,000 meters in 13:04.05 at the Stadium. His
personal best, 12:43.02, places him tenth all-time, and despite the time being seven
years behind him, he showed last year with 12:51.39 in Rome that he is still a world-class runner. Earlier this year, Barega made his marathon debut – and won outright in 2:05:15 in Seville.
Emil Danielsson, second all-time in Sweden at the distance, will also be starting.