Portuguese cross-country champion José Carlos Pinto is setting his sights on a European medal, attributing his ambition and recent national title to a transformative training environment and strategic guidance from his new Norwegian coach.
The 28-year-old middle-distance runner said a medal at the European Cross-Country Championships in Lagoa, Portugal, on December 14 would make him happy. He claims to be in good form ahead of specific cross-country training.
“I won’t lie, what would make me happy at the Europeans would be a medal,” Pinto told the Lusa news agency. “My coach thought I was capable and I followed with the Kenyans.”
Pinto now trains as an individual athlete under Norwegian coach Gjert Ingebrigtsen. Ingebrigtsen is the father of Olympic and world champions Henrik, Filip, and Jakob Ingebrigtsen.
The coach was instrumental in Pinto’s move to Sandnes, Norway, earlier this year. This followed three years under his previous coach, João Abrantes.
Ingebrigtsen’s influence also shaped Pinto’s bold strategy at the national cross-country championship. Pinto said he adopted an aggressive front-running tactic with elite Kenyan athletes.
“If my coach thinks I have to be with the best, I had to go with them,” Pinto explained. He was referring to Victor Kimosp and Charles Rotich, who finished first and second in the national race.
Kimosp and Rotich completed the 7.47-kilometer course in under 22 minutes. Pinto secured the national title by finishing fourth overall, behind the two Kenyans and Edwin Bett, with a time of 22:13.50.
Pinto described the race pace at approximately 2:55 to 2:57 minutes per kilometer. The course featured continuous curves, obstacles, and varied terrain of sand, dirt, and grass.
He noted the course favors shorter athletes but expressed confidence due to his familiarity with the Lagoa circuit, which will also host the European event. This marks the fourth time Portugal has hosted the championships.
Portugal boasts a strong history in the competition, with 19 European titles and 40 other medals across 30 editions. This includes four absolute titles for Paulo Guerra and one for Jéssica Augusto.
The national team selection remains pending, but the top three male finishers, including Pinto, Moreira, and Etson Barros, are expected to be called up. The top female finishers, Mariana Machado, Laura Taborda, and Ana Mafalda Ferreira, are also anticipated to be selected.
Pinto’s life has been based in Norway since before the World Championships. He shares a house in Sandnes with Canadian training partner Kieran Lumb.
He returned to Norway after the national championships. Pinto had moved there in May, spent two months training at altitude, and recently broke the national 10-kilometer road record with a time of 27:53 minutes on October 18.
Pinto and Lumb coordinate their competition schedules to align with their training plans. This approach simplifies travel and logistics, allowing them to focus on their performance.
For the European race, scheduled for 12:41 p.m. local time on December 14, Pinto predicts a similar dynamic to the Nationals. The narrow course will favor athletes who can quickly get to the front.
He observed that front-runners at the national championship gained crucial space. Overtaking proved very difficult, only occurring when he deliberately slowed down 1,200 meters from the finish after securing his win.