By Lori Ewing
Sept 9 (Reuters) – Josh Kerr says World Athletics’ new Ultimate Championships have given him one final target after a stellar season, while the chance to face long-time rival Jakob Ingebrigtsen again only adds to the appeal.
Their first head-to-head meeting in two years is likely to provide plenty of intrigue in Budapest. Their rivalry has helped define the men’s 1,500 metres in recent years, producing thrilling races and plenty of off-track sparring.
Tokyo Olympics gold medallist Ingebrigtsen criticised Kerr’s decision to skip last month’s European Championships, saying athletes who bypass major competitions are “ruining” the sport. Kerr brushed off questions about the remarks when speaking to reporters.
“I’m gonna get myself in trouble, that’s what your goal is here,” Kerr joked on a video call with reporters.
With neither man inclined to back down, their latest meeting promises another fascinating chapter in one of the sport’s most compelling rivalries.
“I’m very happy that he’s back running and racing. It’s great for our distance. He’s one of the best 1,500 metre runners, 5k runners of all time, and I’m excited to go out and race him,” Kerr said.
“I’m not going to lose, but I’m excited to go out there and race.”
Kerr arrives in Budapest enjoying perhaps the finest season of his career. The Scot shattered the 27-year-old mile world record in July in London, and then captured Commonwealth Games gold in the mile.
While many athletes spent August and September chasing Diamond League prizes and appearance fees, Kerr opted for a more selective approach, skipping races in Zurich and Brussels to focus on peaking for the Ultimate Championships.
While the decision attracted criticism from some quarters, including Ingebrigtsen, Kerr remained unapologetic.
“This is still an individual sport,” he said. “Every athlete’s different in the way that they approach the season. The way that I approach it is circling two to four big dates and working my way around those, and also to get in and out of a year without massive (injury) problems.”
LOOKING AHEAD
At 28, Kerr said he is thinking beyond a single season, looking ahead to the 2027 World Championships and 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
“This next three years is going to be some of the biggest in my career, and I’m not short-sighted with that. I’m not going to get greedy,” he said. “I’m a human being at the end of the day. I’m not a robot.”
World Athletics’ new Ultimate Championships, which run Friday through Sunday, feature a prize pot of $10 million, the largest in track and field history, with each winner pocketing $150,000.
However, Kerr insisted his main goal was to strengthen his claim as the era’s dominant 1,500-metre runner.
“At the end of the day, it’s glory,” he said. “I’m here to prove that I’m continually going to be the best 1,500-metre runner of our generation at least.”
While Kerr insists he is motivated more by titles than prize money, he welcomed World Athletics’ efforts to increase athletes’ earning potential through the Ultimate Championships.
He has been outspoken about the fact that the $50,000 bonus for breaking a world record has remained unchanged for nearly three decades.
“You go back and you watch (Hicham) El Guerrouj’s world record in 1998, and it’s the same world record bonus,” Kerr said. “That’s a bit ridiculous.”
Kerr famously completed “Project 222” by clocking three minutes 42.66 seconds to topple El Guerrouj’s world record by 0.47 seconds.
The Ultimate Championships men’s 1,500m final is Sunday. Ingebrigtsen is also racing the men’s 5,000m on Friday.
(Reporting by Lori EwingEditing by Christian Radnedge)
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