Two-time Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen has had surgery on an Achilles injury in the United States but has said "it's not as bad as it seems".
In worst-case scenarios, recovery time from an Achilles operation can take up to 10 months, but the 25-year-old Norwegian said on his YouTube channel, external that he was looking at a rehabilitation plan for the "next couple of months".
Ingebrigtsen said he first injured his left Achilles last April, but was determined to compete at the World Championships in September, where he failed to win a medal.
The injury flared up again in January and he said it became "100% necessary" to have surgery to remove scar tissue surrounding the paratenon - a protective sheath that surrounds the Achilles tendon.
"This is of course not something to be taken lightly but absolutely the right thing for the longevity of my career, " Ingebrigtsen posted on Instagram, along with a picture of him sitting in a wheelchair, wearing a protective boot.
"The surgery went very smoothly and I'm relieved to have a clear path of recovery back to the start line after many months of uncertainty."
'Terrible' Ingebrigtsen suffers shock 1500m exit at Worlds
Ingebrigtsen won 1500m gold at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and took the 5,000m title at the Paris Games in 2024.
But he failed to make the 1500m final at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo and went on to finish 10th in the 5,000m final.
Ingebrigtsen added: "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," he said.
"The sheath has been ruined and covered in scar tissue, which is what we have gone in and removed.
"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.
"So don't be concerned - it's not as bad as it seems."
The European Championships take place in Birmingham in August.