Josh Kerr ready to shock ‘very beatable’ 1500m favourite Jakob Ingebrigtsen
Kerr is out to challenge Ingebrigtsen for the 1500m title.
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Your support makes all the difference.Great Britain’s Josh Kerr is ready to face off with Jakob Ingebrigtsen and emulate world champion Jake Wightman.
The 25-year-old believes the 1500m Olympic champion can be beaten at the World Championships just like in Eugene 13 months ago.
Defending champion Wightman is out injured having stunned Norway’s Ingebrigtsen last year and Kerr, who won Olympic bronze two years ago, is aiming for another shock in Wednesday’s final in Budapest.
“He’s human like everyone else. I definitely think he’s very beatable but I don’t think that’s a given,” he said.
“You have got to be on your best day. Do I think he’s one of the best 1500m runners ever? Yes I do but I don’t think he’s unbeatable on any day, especially in a world final, with the pressure on and no mistakes allowed to be made.
“I’m in the best spot to give a go at him but even if you are in the best shape of your life, you are not owed anything.
“I think it is the most people we have had under 3.30. Even though I’ve been putting in the hard yards, putting in the percentages, you have got to go out and perform.
“That is something he does very consistently but, again, like he showed last year there are vulnerable spots. I’ve just got to commit when I need to and I don’t think anyone is unbeatable on a day. Especially if you put the hard yards in.”
Kerr is joined in the final by team-mate Neil Gourley, although Elliot Giles failed to qualify.
“It’s an amazing era to be in in the UK. You have had that golden era (Seb Coe, Steve Ovett and Steve Cram),” added Kerr.
“That’s what we continue to get compared to but if we can rack these medals up from multiple different people, we have all got our individual medals from different championships. That’s what we are here to do. We will continue to do that.”