Great Britain’s Josh Kerr wins stunning 1500m gold at World Championships
The Scot clocked three minutes 29.38 seconds to win a massive battle with Jakob Ingebrigtsen
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Great Britain’s Josh Kerr stunned Jakob Ingebrigtsen to take the 1500m title in style at the World Championships.
The Scot clocked three minutes 29.38 seconds to win a massive battle with Ingebrigtsen, who came second, over the final 300m.
He emulated Jake Wightman’s win in Eugene last year, with Wightman missing through injury this year, to deny Norway’s Ingebrigtsen – who also had to settle for silver in 2022 – the world crown again.
Kerr told the BBC: “It’s been a long time coming. It’s an overwhelming experience, but I’m so proud of myself, of my team and my family.
“I threw my whole 16 years at that last 200m. I stayed calm, I just wanted to execute a race I would be proud of today. I’m very glad to add to that medal count.
“I was battling with Jakob very hard, you can see by my face I’m throwing everything at this guy, I was hurting. I’ve wanted this my whole life. I’m so happy.
“At about 50m to go I kind of broke him, and it was holding on from that point. I’ve had the (Olympic) bronze (at Tokyo 2020) and the gold is much sweeter.”
Wightman cheered on Kerr from the BBC studio and added his congratulations to his compatriot.
“Our little club in Edinburgh has had two back-to-back world champions,” Wightman said. “That’s hard to believe. Jakob Ingebrigtsen is going to start hating us Brits ain’t he?
“I think Josh Kerr knew what to do there. You saw when he came on Jakob’s shoulder.
“He showed so much promise for so long, that medal in Tokyo was just the start of this. When Josh Kerr gets it right and when he’s running well, he absolutely flies.
“I think Ingebrigtsen underestimated how well he was running at the moment.
“I’m so happy for him. Josh is like the Terminator. His internal confidence is crazy.”
Ingebrigtsen said he had a sore throat this week and was feeling “not good”. He added: “I just wasn’t good enough.”
Asked how he views Kerr as a global rival now, he added: “It’s totally different. We have been competitors for a long time, he is a great runner but it is what it is.”
Neil Gourley, who finished ninth in the final, said: “I was hanging on for dear life if I am honest. I was hoping to go past people. I didn’t have much left.
“I have been training all year to have something left in the 200m but didn’t have it this week. It happens, it’s sport, it’s fuel for next year as I have work to do.
“I am really happy for Josh, I could tell this was coming, I knew he would be right up there, the margins are fine at this level.
“I knew he would give Jakob a run for his money this week. The way he has carried himself, the way he has been looking, he has been full of confidence.”