There was a whiff of London 2012 as the track action at the Stade de France got under way to huge crowds, a wall of noise, and early British promise. It came from the 2023 world 1500m champion Josh Kerr, who breezed into the semi-finals wearing a pair of gold-emblazoned spikes, and then declared: “I’m definitely better than last year – and we’ll see that.”
Kerr’s fighting talk came after the Olympic 1500m champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen had taken a dig at him off the track. Asked about his great rivalry with Kerr, he replied: “It’s hard to refer to him as a rival when he’s never there. He is known as the Briton who never competes. I try to participate in as many races as I can and to entertain.”
Kerr’s relaxed response after winning his heat in 3min 35.83sec “Everyone can have their own opinions. I’ve no problems with that and I will hopefully be remembered for something slightly different.”
Kerr clocked 3:35.99 to win the first heat in 3:35.99 and was displaying the body language of a man not lacking in confidence. His arch rival and reigning Olympic champion, Jakob Ingebrigtsen, also qualified after coming third in heat three in 3:37.04.
The Norwegian arrived for his post-match press duties wearing a face mask. Given that he claimed to have been ill when losing out to Kerr in Budapest last year, the precautions taken when speaking to the media scrum were perhaps understandable.
Both men employed similar race strategies in a front of the near capacity Stade de France crowd, opting to stay out of trouble at the back of the pack before surging through to make sure of the top six finish that would bring qualification to the semi-final stage.
“I stayed relaxed and when it was time to go, I put the burners on … maybe a little bit too hard,” said Kerr. “I thought everyone was going to be battling with me. But I felt exactly how I thought I would, and it was a reassuring thing.”
On the eve of the event, Kerr hadn’t ruled out a degree of showmanship coming to the fore but perhaps the biggest message he wanted to send out to the competition came from his feet – in particular the Brooks spikes he was wearing that were covered in golden flashes.
“These are the spikes my team are able to make me, these are my custom colourway,” he said.”Being able to run for a smaller brand allows you to get personalised stuff. I’m very excited about these spikes, I think they’re one of the fastest in the world.”
Ingebrigtsen had also issued some more barbed comments about the Scot, describing him as “the Brit who never competes” – a reference to how selective Kerr is when it comes to his races.
The Olympic bronze medallist from 2021 responded with a knowing shrug.
“Everyone can have their own opinions,” he said. “I have no problems with that and I will hopefully be able to be remembered for something slightly different than that. Hopefully that’s medals, fast times and fun battles, head-to-heads.
“The problem is that people compare me to everyone else, but they should be comparing me to myself from previous years previous. I’m exactly how I did when I came through into Budapest and into Tokyo all these different places and that’s why I run my best and that’s how I compare myself.”
Kerr was joined by his team-mate Neil Gourley, who finished just behind Ingebrigtsen in fifth place of that heat with 3:37.18. This is the Scot’s first taste of the Olympics and the last time he sampled the Stade de France was as a rugby fan, seeing his team slide to World Cup defeat at the hands of Ireland last autumn.
Gourley vowed to return and place himself at the heart of the sporting action next time – and was true to his word.
“It was something else,” he said racing in front of so many people. “I didn’t take it all in until after the race, to be honest. I had a wee look up and to see so many in the seats for a morning session of athletics was incredible. Physically I am in the best spot I’ve ever been in.”
Kerr and Ingebrigtsen: A Rivalry For the Ages
The clash of reigning Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Great Britain’s current world champion Josh Kerr in the final of the men’s 1500m is one of the most highly anticipated of Paris 2024. The opening session of the athletics on Friday morning offered a tantalising glimpse at what lies ahead.
Kerr and Ingebrigtsen have developed a sizzling rivalry since the Scot beat the Olympic champion at last year’s World Championship in Budapest. With neither lacking confidence and both unafraid to take shots at each other in the media, Kerr and Ingebrigtsen have routinely stoked the flames ahead of their showdown in Paris and the barbs have continued now the Olympics have begun. On Thursday, Ingebrigtsen said it was hard to view the Tokyo bronze medallist as a rival when he is “known as the Brit who never competes”.
The 26-year-old Kerr shrugged off the comment after setting a 3:35.83 in heats in what was his first 1500m race this year, noting that the Norwegian had chosen to overlook their last meeting in the mile race at Eugene in May. “We ran against each other earlier this year, and we saw how it went,” he said.
Ingebrigtsen and Kerr have not raced since Eugene. Ingebrigtsen had entered the 1500m distance five times before Paris. By contrast, Kerr chose to limit his appearances to the 800m at June’s British championships while concentrating on his build-up in the United States. By all regards, though, the 32-year-old Ingebrigtsen wasn’t wrong in his assessment and continued the frank honesty both he and Kerr have shown when discussing their relationship and the fact there’s no love lost between them.
It builds a fascinating rivalry between characters and competitors, charged by self-confidence. And that, really, was what produced the two most spectacular moments on the opening day of the track in Saint-Denis as the first round of the 1500m showed Kerr and Ingebrigtsen’s similarities as much as their differences. Racing in separate heats, both were happy to sit back until reaching the final bend, where they cruised around the outside to comfortably qualify for Sunday night’s semi-finals.
Ingebrigtsen, who theatrically slowed down and looked over his shoulder to both his left and right before crossing the line in 3:37.04, had started the defence of his Olympic crown so casually that it was like he was setting out for a morning jog. Overconfidence has come at a cost for Ingebrigtsen since appearing to have the world at his feet when setting an Olympic record in Tokyo three years ago - with defeats to Kerr and Jake Wightman in World Championship finals - but he could afford to leave plenty in the tank at this early stage.
As could Kerr, producing the same thrilling sight of athletes who were putting everything into charging out in front suddenly being passed into first by a superior rival who had left enough in reserve.
“Everyone gets really angsty in these first rounds because of all the build-up, the hype and it’s a big stadium with lots of people,” Kerr said. “So I just made sure I stayed relaxed and when it was time to go, I put the burners on …maybe a little bit too hard. I thought everyone was going to be battling with me. But I felt exactly how I thought I would, and it was a reassuring thing.”
Kerr has been more coy ahead of the Olympics after using mind games to his advantage in beating Ingebrigtsen at the World Championship. He described the superstar as having “major weaknesses” before exploiting them to win the biggest title of his career in Budapest, overhauling Ingebrigtsen’s lead on the final straight. In turn, Ingebrigtsen has doubled-down on the bravado. He claimed he would have beaten Kerr “blindfolded” when the Scot broke the two-mile record in New York in February, where the Norwegian was absent.
Fireworks were expected at the Olympics and were duly delivered as early as the opening morning on the track. But what promises to make Kerr and Ingebrigtsen’s battle so anticipated is the feud is set to continue long after the race is run as well. In Paris, the starting shot has been fired.
A Battle of Egos
PARIS -- Team GB gold medal hope Josh Kerr is preparing to stare down Norway's Jakob Ingebrigtsen as a battle of egos takes to the track in what is shaping up to be a thrilling men's 1500-metre race at the Paris Olympics.
Ingebrigtsen's latest taunt came on Thursday when he said Kerr is known as "the Brit who never competes," referencing the Scot's choosing not to compete in any 1500m events this year. By contrast, Ingebrigtsen has competed in eight.
Kerr played down the rivalry in his pre-Olympics news conference on Thursday, but after comfortably qualifying through his heat on Friday he had more to say.
"I would like to be defining my career at the end of it," Kerr said.
"I think I'm just getting started.
"Hopefully that's medals, fast times, and fun battles head-to-head so everyone can have their own opinions. I have absolutely have no problems with that, and I'll hopefully be able to be remembered for something slightly different than that."
Kerr beat Ingebrigtsen the last time they competed against each other in the prestigious Bowerman Mile in Eugene, Oregon in May. However, their head-to-head record in the 1500-metres stands 8-1 in favour of the Norwegian.
"The problem is people compare me to everyone else, but they should be comparing me to myself from years previous," Kerr added.
"I'm exactly how I did when I came through in to Budapest, into Tokyo, all these different places and that's where I run my best and that's how I compare myself."
Ingebrigtsen, who also qualified for the semifinals, spoke to reporters soon after. He gave his parting take on whether he thinks his pre-Olympic schedule give him an edge.
"It's a running competition. Of course it's an advantage," Ingebrigtsen said.
Golden Spikes and the Purple Track
The first time an Olympic track has been the colour purple: the idea being it provides a better television experience, as it contrasts more with athletes. Mondo, which has made every Olympic track since 1976, also believes that this is its fastest ever. It says its “key innovation lies in the new geometry of the sub-base, which now uses elliptical geometric air cells” which makes it more responsive for athletes.
The Italian company also says it has developed a new blend for this track that incorporates “bivalve mollusc shells, such as mussels and clams,” in its resilient flooring. And according to Kerr, there is nothing fishy about such claims.
“The track was definitely quick,” he said. “Everyone gets really angsty in these first rounds because of all the buildup, the hype and it’s a big stadium with lots of people, so I just made sure I stayed relaxed and when it was time to go, I put the burners on.”
The Purple Track and a Missing Athlete
One athlete to miss out on the experience was the Nigerian Favour Ofili, whose personal best of 10.93sec would have probably qualified her for the final, after her federation did not enter her for the 100m. “I have worked four years to earn this opportunity. For what?” she said on social media. World Athletics later confirmed that she has been entered only for the 200m and 4x100m.
The Main Course is Served
The Olympics before the athletics begins is a little like a feast without its main course: the abundance of choice is tantalising at first, but when the centrepiece is introduced it can be difficult to look anywhere else.
And while the Stade de France and its brand new purple track will host the blockbuster men’s and women’s 100m finals over the weekend, it’s another event that has been dubbed a “race for the ages” by World Athletics president Seb Coe. The clash of reigning Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Great Britain’s current world champion Josh Kerr in the final of the men’s 1500m is one of the most highly anticipated of Paris 2024.
A Clash of Titans
The fireworks were expected at the Olympics and were duly delivered as early as the opening morning on the track. But what promises to make Kerr and Ingebrigtsen’s battle so anticipated is the feud is set to continue long after the race is run as well. In Paris, the starting shot has been fired.
