The medal is long-awaited for Almgren, who has had a career filled with injuries, illnesses and four fourth places on four different distances in the European Championship context.
The race, in a nearly 30-degree Tokyo, was run at a slow pace and was decided with a sprint with several runners.
"Not anyone at home"
I do not think that there was anyone at home who believed that I would take a medal in this way, in such a slow race, with such a fast finish, says Andreas Almgren to SVT.
After just over seven kilometers, Almgren advanced in the race and placed himself at the front. But the 30-year-old was soon passed by the Japanese home runner Jun Kasai.
After eight kilometers, he took himself up to the top again and the pace in the mile race increased. On the final lap, it became a sprint finish where Almgren first seemed to be out of the medal match, but he came back and took the bronze.
Believed in World Championship gold
The Frenchman Jimmy Gressier took the World Championship gold with a time of 28.55,77. Yomif Kejelcha, Ethiopia, was six hundredths behind and took silver. Andreas Almgren's bronze time became 28.56,02, over two minutes from his personal best on the distance (26.52,87).
I went in with the thought of getting a gold, but getting this medal means so much, he says.
Later during the World Championship, Almgren will run 5,000 meters where he has the European record with 12.44,27 from earlier this year.
