Josh Kerr's savage put down after Mo Farah feat and reason for wearing sunglasses indoors
Josh Kerr is one of three British runners in the 1500m final at the World Athletics Championships and he will hope to add to his gold medal from 2023.
One of the standout moments of the World Athletics Championships will unfold on Wednesday, as Josh Kerr chases gold in the 1500m. Only a select few British athletes have claimed consecutive world titles in the same event, with Mo Farah and Jessica Ennis-Hill already amongst that exclusive club.
Kerr, 27, is one of three British runners in the 1500m final. Fellow Scot Neil Gourley secured his place through a closely-contested third semi-final while Jake Wightman dominated from the front in the fourth heat, though teammate Elliot Giles was marginally eliminated. One notable absentee will be Jakob Ingebrigtsen, who was outpaced in the final qualifying heat following an injury-hampered campaign. His non-participation means Kerr cannot reignite their fierce rivalry, which reached its zenith when he edged past the Norwegian to triumph in 2023.
That rivalry resurfaced in 2024 when Kerr shattered Farah's two-mile record. Ingebrigtsen missed that competition but declared he would have defeated Kerr "blindfolded", as reported by Wales Online, prompting the Scotsman to respond.
"Us 1500m runners are an interesting breed," Kerr said. "We all have got quite big egos, we all want to win and we think we're the best ever. We're not in a contact sport, so it's this weird balance of all this s***-talking and going out and running fast. It's fun and hopefully it's interesting for people to watch.
"Some things have been said on both sides but there's no ill will. There's mutual respect and we're all looking to compete for an Olympic title. You're finding a real clash of personalities and hopefully people enjoy it."
That was in February 2024 and the duo would have an opportunity to go head-to-head for Olympic gold in Paris just months later. However, neither athlete emerged victorious, with America's Cole Hocker securing an upset victory.
Before that Olympic final, Kerr shared that his psychological tactics also involve the sunglasses he sports during races. He may not be running blindfolded, to reference Ingebrigtsen's remarks, but he ensures his eyes reveal nothing.
"I first started wearing them in 2022 before the World Championships," Kerr told Sky Sports in 2024. "I was looking for something to give me a bit more of an edge, a little bit different about me on that start line.
"And the fun thing is that you can't see my eyes when I've got them on. We sit from about 45 minutes to an hour before in a small room, and we all sit with each other, just kind of sitting down, not doing anything, all looking at each other.
"It's nice people not looking at my eyes. So a lot of people are staring at me, asking me if I'm looking at them. So it's just a bit of an edge."
Athletics is a sport of fine margins, particularly in high-stakes events. Kerr, having already secured a world championship gold medal once, now has the opportunity to repeat his success.
