- Team GB’s Josh Kerr secured a silver medal in the men’s 1,500m Olympic final
- The competition was centered on his fierce rivalry with Jakob Ingebrigtsen
- However, it was Cole Hocker, an unexpected contender, who claimed the gold with an impressive performance
Josh Kerr believes he may have experienced his final Olympic rivalry with Jakob Ingebrigtsen, as he doesn’t foresee his Norwegian opponent racing in the 1,500 meters at the Los Angeles Games.
The British athlete earned a silver medal in a thrilling 1,500m final on Tuesday evening, outperforming defending champion Ingebrigtsen, who finished fourth, while American newcomer Cole Hocker took home the gold.
Ingebrigtsen was back in action the following morning at Stade de France, competing in the 5,000m event.
Kerr speculates that by the time the next Olympics arrive in LA in 2028, Ingebrigtsen, 23, may focus more on the 5,000m.
‘He’s dominant in the 5,000m,’ Kerr stated. ‘I can’t see him running the 1,500m for another entire Olympic cycle.
Josh Kerr feels that he has had his final Olympic competition against Jakob Ingebrigtsen (right)
The duo were surprised by American outsider Cole Hocker, who achieved a new Olympic record time
‘However, he’s running incredibly fast times, so that largely depends on him. I will focus on my 1,500m running.’
Tuesday’s race was among the highlights of the Paris Olympics, with Hocker sprinting to gold in an Olympic record of 3 minutes 27.65 seconds, while Kerr set a new British record with a time of 3:27.79.
Given the thrilling nature of the race, Kerr believes Netflix should create a documentary focusing on middle-distance running, as a follow-up to their series “Sprint,” which highlights the world’s top 100m and 200m athletes.
‘I think it would be fascinating; there are compelling stories to tell,’ Kerr remarked. ‘While some athletes might seem a bit dull, I’m sure we can add enough excitement.’
‘They did an excellent job with “Sprint,” but if they were to explore another discipline, tackling the men’s 1,500m is an obvious choice.’
Kerr had to settle for a silver medal, following his bronze at Tokyo, although he did manage to outpace his rival, who missed out on a medal
Kerr also shared that he enjoyed a ‘handful’ of pints to celebrate his silver medal on Tuesday, an improvement on the bronze he secured in Tokyo three years prior.
‘By ‘handful,’ I mean my hand was full at all times,’ the Scot chuckled. ‘It was a lot of fun. I felt a bit rough this morning, but it’s far better than aching legs.’
