Olympic bronze medallist, Josh Kerr, delivered a performance of a lifetime to claim World Championship gold in the men’s 1500-metre event. In so doing, he keeps the crown in British hands. Kerr repeated the feat of teammate Jake Wightman from the 2022 Eugene World Athletics Championships, one year ago. Both Brits bettered the more favoured Jakob Ingebrigtsen from Norway.

Kerr clocked a season’s best 3:29.38 for the win. Ingebrigtsen clocked in at 3:29.65 for second, while Narve Gilje Nordås of Norway took third in 3:29.68.

American Yared Nuguse, who holds the North American record at 3:29:02 from the Oslo Diamond League in June was a surprise fifth-place finisher in Budapest.

Kerr said, “It has been a long time coming. It is quite an overwhelming experience but I am so proud of myself. I am so proud of my team and my family – they got me here. I didn’t feel like I ran the best race either so I just threw my whole 16 years of this sport at that last 200m and didn’t give up until the end.

“It was fast from early and I kind of got bumped back into sixth or seventh but I stayed calm and I just wanted to execute a race that I would be proud of and I knew that I was capable of a World Championship gold medal for the team so I am very proud to be able to add to that medal count today.”

Kerr and teammate Neil Gourley were placed in the middle of the field. When the men’s 1500m final got underway with the latter on the inside. The British pair jostled around the bend before the bell with Kerr starting to make his move as he moved wide.

He moved to second behind Ingebrigtsen with 600m and was right on the Norwegian’s shoulder as the last lap began. The two started to stretch away from the field down the back straight before Kerr decided it was time to push for the lead with 200m to go.

Kerr always looked confident even as Ingebrigtsen responded but failed to prevent him from coming through. In a near repeat of the final from a year ago that saw Wightman triumph, the Brit powered through in the closing metres to take a sensational gold.

Kerr roared away in celebration as Ingebrigtsen looked completely stunned. The new world champion’s time a season’s best of 3:29.38 – 0,26 quicker than he has gone all year – and he added: “There is a very big reminiscent of Wightman in there [over the last 200m]. I was battling with Jakob pretty hard. You could see by my face that I was throwing everything I could at this guy. We were both hurting. I have wanted this for my whole life and thought, I am not letting anyone get in the way of that’

“I looked up at the screen, didn’t see anyone coming and I made sure I pumped all the way home. I am so happy. With 50m to go, I kind of broke him and it was just about holding form at that point. I’d be proud – giving everything in that situation – if it was gold, silver or bronze. I’ve had the bronze and the gold is sweeter.

“This is a lot for our family. They have put a lot of time and effort and money into me and I just couldn’t be more proud to represent the Kerr family name today. I gave everything for them, myself and my fiance. This is the life I want to lead for them.”

Gourley meanwhile was competing in his second outdoor World Championship final after an 11th in 2019 and, after finishing ninth in 3:31.10, he said: “I tried to hang on but it didn’t quite happen in the last 200m, it was a hard pace. I tried to go and there wasn’t a whole lot left – I gave it my all.

“I don’t think it’s that complicated how to win these things, it’s just holding on for the last 200m. If you have enough left you can go by but it’s just very hard to hold on and feel fresh at 200m to go the way Jakob pushes on from the front.

“It’s [Josh beating Jakob] not maybe as big a shock as some people think. Jakob hasn’t been beaten this year in any Diamond League races but this isn’t a Diamond League race so it’s a lot different.”

Results

Men’s 1500m Final – Wednesday, August 23

POSATHLETENATRESULT
1Josh KERRGBR3:29.38 SB
2Jakob INGEBRIGTSENNOR3:29.65
3Narve Gilje NORDÅSNOR3:29.68
4Abel KIPSANGKEN3:29.89
5Yared NUGUSEUSA3:30.25
6Mario GARCÍAESP3:30.26
7Cole HOCKERUSA3:30.70 PB
8Reynold Kipkorir CHERUIYOTKEN3:30.78
9Neil GOURLEYGBR3:31.10
10Niels LAROSNED3:31.25 NR
11Azeddine HABZFRA3:33.14
12Isaac NADERPOR3:35.41

Men’s 1500m Semi-Final – Sunday, August 20

Semi-Final 1

POSATHLETENATRESULT
1Yared NUGUSEUSA3:32.69 Q
2Abel KIPSANGKEN3:32.72 Q
3Niels LAROSNED3:32.74 Q NR
4Azeddine HABZFRA3:32.79 Q
5Narve Gilje NORDÅSNOR3:32.81 Q
6Neil GOURLEYGBR3:32.97 Q
7Tshepo TSHITERSA3:32.98
8Pietro ARESEITA3:33.11 PB
9Adel MECHAALESP3:33.33
10Mohamed KATIRESP3:33.56
11Ruben VERHEYDENBEL3:33.96
12Emil DANIELSSONSWE3:34.16 PB
13Matthew RAMSDENAUS3:36.83
14Andrew COSCORANIRL3:37.39

Semi-Final 2

POSATHLETENATRESULT
1Jakob INGEBRIGTSENNOR3:34.98 Q
2Josh KERRGBR3:35.14 Q
3Cole HOCKERUSA3:35.23 Q
4Mario GARCÍAESP3:35.26 Q
5Isaac NADERPOR3:35.31 Q
6Reynold Kipkorir CHERUIYOTKEN3:35.53 Q
7Charles GRETHENLUX3:36.18
8Samuel TANNERNZL3:36.58
9Timothy CHERUIYOTKEN3:37.40
10Charles PHILIBERT-THIBOUTOTCAN3:37.41
11Tom ELMERSUI3:38.33
12Elliot GILESGBR3:39.05
13Adam SPENCERAUS3:42.10

Men’s 1500m Heats – Saturday, August 19

Top 6 in each heat advance to semi-final

Heat 1

POSATHLETENATRESULT
1Jakob INGEBRIGTSENNOR3:33.94 Q
2Josh KERRGBR3:34.00 Q
3Reynold Kipkorir CHERUIYOTKEN3:34.24 Q
4Adel MECHAALESP3:34.35 Q
5Isaac NADERPOR3:34.36 Q
6Charles PHILIBERT-THIBOUTOTCAN3:34.60 Q
7Amos BARTELSMEYERGER3:35.44
8Samuel ZELEKEETH3:36.57
9Abraham GUEMSSD3:37.85 PB
10Ryan MPHAHLELERSA3:39.16
11Yervand MKRTCHYANARM3:39.35 NR
12Nicholas GRIGGSIRL3:40.72
13Matthew RAMSDENAUS3:46.45
14Tom ELMERSUI3:55.72
15Emil DANIELSSONSWE3:57.70

Heat 2

POSATHLETENATRESULT
1Mario GARCÍAESP3:46.77 Q
2Tshepo TSHITERSA3:46.79 Q
3Neil GOURLEYGBR3:46.87 Q
4Samuel TANNERNZL3:46.93 Q
5Ruben VERHEYDENBEL3:47.02 Q
6Timothy CHERUIYOTKEN3:47.09 Q
7Joonas RINNEFIN3:47.16
8Joe WASKOMUSA3:47.26
9Hicham AKANKAMMAR3:47.45
10Luke MCCANNIRL3:47.48
11Teddese LEMIETH3:47.49
12Rob NAPOLITANOPUR3:48.29
13Joao BUSSOTTI NEVESITA3:48.55
14Julian RANCFRA3:48.63

Heat 3

POSATHLETENATMARK
1Niels LAROSNED3:34.25 Q
2Mohamed KATIRESP3:34.34 Q
3Cole HOCKERUSA3:34.43 Q
4Pietro ARESEITA3:34.48 Q
5Narve Gilje NORDÅSNOR3:34.67 Q
6Azeddine HABZFRA3:35.16 Q
7Stewart MCSWEYNAUS3:36.01
8Kieran LUMBCAN3:36.66
9Abdellatif SADIKIMAR3:37.19
10Elzan BIBIĆSRB3:37.45
11István SZÖGIHUN3:37.57
12Abu MAYANJAUGA3:38.15
13Ajay Kumar SAROJIND3:38.24 PB
14Diego Javier LACAMOIREARG3:38.92 PB
15Ismael DEBJANIBEL3:39.73

Heat 4

POSATHLETENATRESULT
1Abel KIPSANGKEN3:34.08 Q
2Yared NUGUSEUSA3:34.16 Q
3Adam SPENCERAUS3:34.17 Q
4Charles GRETHENLUX3:34.32 QSB
5Elliot GILESGBR3:34.63 Q
6Andrew COSCORANIRL3:34.75 Q
7Ossama MESLEKITA3:35.12
8Salim KEDDARALG3:35.17
9Jochem VERMEULENBEL3:35.45
10Anass ESSAYIMAR3:35.63
11Michał ROZMYSPOL3:36.26 SB
12Raphael PALLITSCHAUT3:36.47 PB
13Kristian Uldbjerg HANSENDEN3:37.27 PB
14Adisu GIRMAETH3:45.86