Britain’s Kerr stuns Ingebrigtsen to win world championship 1500m gold

At the end of a world 1500m final of unflinching intensity and staggering bloody-mindedness, Josh Kerr began to beat his chest like a silverback. The message was clear. He was the man now. As the cameras panned to the 11 vanquished rivals behind him, including the Olympic champion and huge pre-race favourite Jakob Ingebrigtsen, it was impossible to argue.

This was a world title won on the track, in the trenches, perhaps even in the mind. Last year Kerr’s great friend Jake Wightman had put Ingebrigtsen to the sword by pestering him until 200m to go before driving past him. The 25-year-old from Edinburgh followed that almost to the letter.

Kerr has always talked a good game, so when he claimed on the eve of the 1500m final that Ingebrigtsen was “human” despite him having a personal best nearly two seconds quicker than the field, few took Kerr seriously.

But could anyone blame him? Ingebrigtsen was so precocious that at 16 he became the youngest person to break the sub-four-minute barrier for the mile. At 20, he became the Olympic champion in Tokyo. And this year he has beaten all comers.

Yet it transpired that the Scot with the confidence to wear Oakley shades had forecasting skills worthy of the Oracle at Delphi. But what an almighty struggle it was. Ingebrigtsen likes to apply a simple but devilishly effective plan when over 1500m. Take the lead on the second or third lap, and squeeze all his rivals until their pips squeak.

Kerr kept resisting, no matter how much it hurt. Whenever the 22-year-old tried to accelerate, he found a blue British vest on his shoulder. At 200m Kerr took the lead. By 100m Ingebrigtsen had it back – by 0.02 sec. But when Kerr kicked again on the final straight, victory was finally his.

This was also a race that was about psychology as well as physiology. Afterwards Kerr revealed that he had chosen the same kit as Wightman last year in a bid to spook out Ingebrigtsen. “I’m not saying I wore the specific one to bring back some nightmares,” he said, smiling. “But I needed every single ounce I had. This was the vest I chose.”

Asked about the last 200m, he said: “Obviously there’s a very big reminiscence of Wightman in there. I was battling with Jakob pretty hard. You can see from my face that I am throwing everything I had at this guy. We were both fighting. I wanted this for my whole life and I didn’t want [to give it up]. I looked up at the screen and I didn’t see anyone coming and I made sure I pumped all the way home. I am so happy.”

Ingebrigtsen later revealed he was sick, and had woken up with a sore throat. “I felt around 88%,” he said. “If I was 92%, maybe I would have won. But I wasn’t myself today.”

Last year Kerr upset some of his teammates by claiming that he was not looking to get his face on any yoghurt pots – a reference to the fact that UKAthleticswere sponsored by Müller – or get famous. “I’m here to race,” he said. On a hot and sweaty night in Budapest he proved as good as his word.

Kerr’s performance was immediately hailed by Wightman, who was unable to compete in Budapest because of a foot injury. “Josh is like the Terminator. His internal confidence is crazy.”