Josh Kerr has once again taken a dig at Jakob Ingebrigtsen, revisiting the Norwegian’s 1500m loss at the Paris Olympic Games while downplaying his redemption in the 5000m.
At the Olympics, Ingebrigtsen aimed to defend his 1500m title but fell short, finishing fourth in a race where Cole Hocker took gold and Kerr secured silver. However, the Norwegian bounced back with a dominant victory in the 5000m, reaffirming his elite distance-running credentials.
Despite this, Kerr insists that Ingebrigtsen’s 1500m failure remains the defining moment of his Olympics, as the loss overshadowed his 5000m triumph. He suggested that the 1500m is where the biggest storylines emerge, similar to the buzz surrounding the 100m in sprinting.
“He ran 3 minutes 26 seconds last year. I think he also knows, at the current moment, no one cares about the five and 10km like they do the 1500m,” Kerr remarked. “There’s not really the storylines. You want to be in the marquee event, I think he wants to be in the marquee event. He’s run fast at it, so I don’t see why he would change. But that’s his decision.”
Kerr believes this is why Ingebrigtsen will continue focusing on the 1500m, as it provides the best platform to build his brand. The reigning world champion has had a long-standing rivalry with Ingebrigtsen, and their back-and-forth exchanges have added an extra layer of intrigue to middle-distance running.
Reflecting on his own 2024 season, Kerr acknowledged the intensity of competing at the highest level, particularly with the media attention surrounding his battles with Ingebrigtsen.
“It’s definitely calmed down … we are both just being ourselves. When you are putting us in the same room, where you are getting asked questions about each other, there’s only a certain amount of questions that can get asked before you start throwing some…” Kerr added, hinting at the competitive edge between them.
Both athletes have yet to kick off their 2025 seasons. Kerr was set to race at the Millrose Games but had to withdraw at the last minute due to illness. Meanwhile, anticipation is building for their upcoming clashes, especially at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo, Japan.
Before then, fans will have a few chances to see them compete, with expectations high for another thrilling season of middle-distance racing.
