In early May this year, Jakob Ingebrigtsen released a highlights reel of his daily recovery training, prompting admiration at how quickly he is recovering and generating expectations for a comeback this year from this dominant figure in middle- and long-distance running.

Recently, Jakob's agent revealed that his recovery training is going very smoothly. He had originally planned to return at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham, UK in August. Plans may have changed, and he might make his season debut as early as mid-July.

Of the events in July, the Diamond League meeting in London on July 18 is, according to his agent, the most likely choice for Jakob's season debut.

That would see him lining up against his old British rival, Budapest World Championships 1500m champion Josh Kerr. And the London Diamond League is the race where Kerr is planning to carry out "Project 222" (i.e., completing the mile in 222 seconds).

The men's mile world record still stands at 3:43.13, set in 1999 by Moroccan Hicham El Guerrouj. Kerr's "Project 222" aims to lower that mark — regarded as one of the toughest outdoor records in athletics — to 3:42.00.

Facing Kerr's strong challenge at the end of March, Jakob and his agent said: "There's a difference between talking and doing. Jakob will not fear anyone or any challenge. It's Jakob's return that's truly fearsome."

Comparing the two athletes' best performances,

Jakob:1500m 3:26.73 (2024) , 1 mile 3:43.73 (2023);  

Kerr: 1500m 3:27.79 (2024) ,1 mile 3:45.34 (2024).

If Jakob and Kerr actually go head-to-head at the Diamond League London in July, do you think Jakob — just coming back from injury — can prevail and complete a perfect, uplifting comeback, or will his "archrival" Kerr succeed in his bid for the 1 mile world record?

Everything just got more suspenseful!