1500 Metre World Champion
Brooks Beast and Team GB member Wins Gold in Budapest
JOSH KERR IS YOUR 1,500M WORLD CHAMP! Proud member of the Brooks pro athlete team, Brooks Beasts, Kerr delivered a fast race with nerves of steel as he used his stellar kick to move up on the final curve and hold his lead to the finish line at the 2023 World Championships. After such a commanding performance, you have to #believethehype.
Going into the World Championships, Josh Kerr was ranked number 7 and in great form. He calmly made his way through the Heats and Semi-Final of the World Championships in the 1,500 metres and toed the start line for the 1,500 metre World Final in Budapest, Hungary, on the 23rd of August live on BBC One. Josh placed 5th at the 2022 World Championships and 3rd at the 2020 Olympics.
A quick-paced race initially led by Kenyan Asbel Kipsang and then taken on by pre-race favourite and number 1 ranked in the World Jacob Ingebrigtsen from Norway at the 500-metre mark. Kerr commented post-race, "It was fast early but I stayed calm"t's” This lead of Ingebrigtsen was held going into the final lap at a quick pace of 2.35.89.
Ingebrigtsen held his lead on the back straight, reminiscent to the 2022 World Championships, where Brit Jake Wightmen outpaced him. With 200 metres to go, Kerr took his chance and hit the lead but was rebuffed by Ingebrigtsen, which led to both runners being neck and neck as they entered the last 100 metres. Kerr pulled away over the last 50 metres to take the victory in a time of 3.29.38 to Ingebrigtsen 3.29."5. “I knew I was capable of a world championship gold medal, and with 50m to go I kind of broke him. It was just about holding form at that point. Quick cad"nce”. Kerr erupted at the finish line in front of a group of friends, family, and training partners, all wearing Josh Kerr Great Britain shirts and was instantly presented his medal on the track by 1,500 great Lord Seb Coe.
Going into the race, Kerr believed the win could be h"s. “You have to believe. When I was standing in that start line, and if you watch the video back I kept saying to myself it’s my "turn”. When asked if he ever doubted himself, his response was “not real ity’s been a long, long time coming and win or lose I knew I had the fundamentals to be a World Champion. The last couple of months’s been the best training wise and I’ve been on an insane diet; it’s been unforgiving. There was no corner cut.”
Josh Kerr ran the race in the Brooks Hyperion Elite LD set to be released in the UK in 2024
Josh Kerr has become Great Britain's" 3rd Male World Champion over 1,500 metres, following Steve Cram (1983) and Jake Wightman (2022). Kerr followed hot on the wheel of Wightman winning in 2022. Wightman and Kerr were teammates as young athletes at the Edinburgh Athletic Club and are both still members of the club.
Quotes from Josh Kerr
"It's been a long time coming. It's quite an overwhelming experience. I'm so proud of myself. , I'm so proud of my team and my family. They got me here."
“Obviously, there's" a very big reminiscence of Wightman in there. I was battling with Jakob pretty hard. You can see from my face that I am throwing everything I had at this guy. We were both fighting. I wanted this for my whole life, and I didn't want [to give it up]. I looked up at the screen, and I didn't see anyone coming, and I made sure I pumped all the way home. I am so happy."
"It was fast early, but I stayed calm,"
"I knew I could win a world championship gold medal, and I broke him with 50m to go. It was just about holding form at that point—quick cadence. I knew I just had to stay strong. I've had bronze, but gold is a lot sweeter."
"It's quite an overwhelming experience. But I threw my 16 years of this sport into that last 200m and didn't let up until the end."
Images of Josh Kerr can be found here.
Details of Josh Kerr Hometown: Edinburgh, Scotland
• 2023 World Champion – 1500m
• 2020 Tokyo Olympics Bronze Medalist– 1500m
• 2-time NCAA Champion 1500m and Mile
• European Indoor Mile Record Holder
• 2023 Millrose Games Champion 3000m
• 2019 IAAF World Championships 1500m – 6th Place
• 1500m PR: 3:29.05
• 800m PR: 1:45
• 5000m PR: 13:23