Josh Kerr: “Expect one of the most vicious and hard 1500s in a while”

World 1500m champion Kerr and Olympic champion Ingebrigtsen were kept apart in the post-semi-final interview area as tensions ran high

Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Josh Kerr qualified for Tuesday’s Olympic 1500m final with relative ease. There were no mind games, nor any showboating. Drawn in the same race on Sunday (Aug 4), the Norwegian breezed home in 3:32.38 with a businesslike Kerr less than a tenth of a second behind. The post-race interviews were much livelier, though.

“They should just be expecting one of the most vicious and hardest 1500s that people have seen in a very long time,” said Kerr when asked what might be in store for fans in the final.

“I’m ready to go after it. I think we all are,” he added. “There’s been a lot of talk and words over the last kind of 12 months, or even two years. I’m just looking to settle that a little bit on Tuesday and give it my best performance.”

When Kerr’s comments were put to Ingebrigtsen moments later, the Norwegian, who was wearing a face mask, said: “So, no words from now on?” before putting his hand over his mouth.

The two men were deliberately kept apart in the athlete and media mixed zone in the underbelly of the Stade de France. Organisers felt it would be too awkward to have them standing a metre or two away from each other answering questions so they set up areas for each athlete to field some questions.

Josh Kerr and Jakob Ingebrigtsen (Getty)

Netflix are in town filming their second series on sprinters but perhaps they have picked the wrong event. The men’s 1500m final will be the must-watch race of the Games after a build-up full of trash talk and insults.

In recent months Kerr has accused Ingebrigtsen of having “flaws on the track and in the manners realm” and being surrounded by “yes men”. Ingebrigtsen countered by claiming he could beat Kerr blindfolded when fit and then, as the Games commenced in Paris, he said Kerr is an athlete who is known for hardly ever racing.

Kerr said on Sunday: “It’s my fifth major championship final in a row. I don’t miss these because I’m good at what I do and I’m going to show that in the final.”

On his semi-final, the world champion added: “It was a pretty standard 3:32 to be honest. There aren’t any lane draws in the 1500m that make any difference in the final. I just needed to get top six which is almost easier qualification than the first round. I just got myself further up the front and it was a simple day for me.”

Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Josh Kerr (Getty)

On potential tactics in the final, he added: “He’s going to try to win. I’m going to try to win. And we’ll see who wins.

“I’ve been picturing it my whole life and so it’s going to be another day in the office for me and I’m just looking to put on a performance for millions of people. It’s my job to give the crowd the best experience.”

Ingebrigtsen said: “It’s a competition and today was all about advancing and it’s nice that the next race is the final so it’s something to look forward to.”

On Kerr’s ‘vicious and hard’ prediction, Ingebrigtsen said: “Racing is what you want it to be. I thrive in the competitive scene. That’s why I do this. Maybe there is a difference among us.”

Behind Ingebrigtsen and Kerr, Cole Hocker of the United States was third followed by Brian Komen of Kenya, Stefan Nillessen of Netherlands and Pietro Arese of Italy, all making the final.

Missing out was Britain’s George Mills, who finished a weary looking 11th, the effects of having to do an extra repechage race perhaps catching up with him.

“I knew my back was up against the wall a bit and I gave myself a harder chance after messing up the heat and having to do the repechage,” he said. “My body just wasn’t there today. I felt pretty early in the race that my legs weren’t with me today.

“This is my first time racing three times in a row and the emotions of messing up in the heat and having to reboot myself and go again and then get ready for the semi-final is not something I’ve done before but I’ll be better for having done it in future.”

Yared Nuguse and Neil Gourley (Getty)

Yared Nuguse won the second semi in 3:31.72 from fellow American Hobbs Kessler and Britain’s Neil Gourley with Niels Laros of Netherlands fourth, Timothy Cheruiyot of Kenya fifth and Narve Gilje Nordas of Norway taking the final qualifying spot in sixth.

Such has been the advances in standards, nine runners in total in the semi-finals ran quicker than Seb Coe’s old Olympic record of 3:32.53 from the 1984 Games and 13 men ran sub-3:33.

Ossama Meslek, the British-based Italian, once again improved his national record to 3:32.77 but missed out in eighth.

When asked about the hype over the event, Gourley said: “I love that there’s a lot of attention on this event. I hope it lives up to the billing. It’s one of the most anticipated events of this championships and maybe the entire Olympics itself. I’m pretty certain it will and it’s just great to be part of this as it’s not something we take for granted.”

As for the next 48 hours? “Recovery is the name of the game between now and the final. I’ll be doing everything I can to put myself into a position to win a medal but I realise how difficult that will be. The depth is unprecedented.”

Keely Hodgkinson (Getty)

Keely Hodgkinson led the women’s 800m qualifiers for Monday’s final with 1:56.86. Her GB team-mates Phoebe Gill and Jemma Reekie went out, though.

Reekie was well placed for 700m but struggled in the home straight as she fell back to fifth in 1:58.01 as Tsige Duguma of Ethiopia won in 1:57.47.

Tsige Duguma with Jemma Reekie (Getty)

Gill, meanwhile, finished fourth in her semi in 1:58.47 as Mary Moraa of Kenya won in 1:57.86 before limping away to get some strapping applied to her thigh.

The 17-year-old Gill said: “I gave it my all and I’m so glad I got through just one round and I can call myself an Olympian now. It’s opened a whole new door to me as I’m competing with people who I’d only ever previously seen on television.

Natoya Goule leads with Phoebe Gill (far left) (Getty)

“This season has changed my life completely to go from 2:01 to 1:57 – it’s been so overwhelming. You think doing that can make you very happy but it can also be stressful as I had to prep for the Olympics.

“I’d like to dip under that 1:57 barrier so we’ll see what happens. But I deserve a break.”

Hodgkinson said: “It felt really good and I just wanted to stay out of trouble and get the job done. I’ve been thinking about this for the last year. The heats and semis are quite nerve wracking but the final should be the most future as there’s no pressure of ‘getting anywhere’ as I’m already there to see what I can do.”

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