FILE PHOTO: Athletics - World Athletics Championships - Men's 1500 Metres - Final - Hayward Field, Eugene, Oregon, U.S. - July 19, 2022 Gold medallist Britain's Jake Wightman celebrates after winning the Men's 1500 Metres final REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson/File Photo
NEW YORK (Reuters) - British middle-distance runner Jake Wightman will no longer be coached by his father, the 2022 1,500 metres world champion said on Wednesday, offering thanks for the "years of selfless time".
A long-time sports commentator, Geoff Wightman famously called Jake's stunning upset win at the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon, announcing to fans: "That's my son and he's world champion."
The younger Wightman said that his father helped him grow from a schoolboy runner to a top contender, but that they "physically and mentally" needed to go their separate ways.
"By doing this we ensure there’s plenty more to come in the future, not as a coach/athlete but as a father/son, away from the intensity and stress of training and racing," he wrote on Instagram.
Wightman was unable to defend his 1,500m world title in 2023 due to a foot injury and last year was forced to withdraw from the Paris Games due to a hamstring injury.
"Thank you Dad for all the years of selfless time and money," said Wightman. "I hope we can both look back on what we achieved together with immense pride."
(Reporting by Amy Tennery in New York; Editing by Toby Davis)
