JOsh Kerr disagrees with the old adage warning of the dangers of trying to ride two horses at the same time. The 26-year-old Scot is headlining the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow and is looking to add a 3000m title to his world outdoor 1500m gold. But he also wouldn’t mind stirring up trouble again with his arch-rival Jakob Ingebrigtsen, who did not travel to Scotland due to injury.
On his U.S. visa, Kerr is described as an “entertainer.” He is worthy of this title both on and off the field. “I’m here to have an exciting game and go out and win,” he said. “I’m in really good shape and I think I’m going to be a real problem for anyone on the starting line-up for the 3,000m.”
Cole’s performance throughout the winter proved that. He ended the year with a 61-minute half-marathon, and then in his only race of 2024, he put in a brilliant performance at the finish to beat Mo Farah’s two-mile indoor world’s best The result was nearly three seconds ahead.
But he knows he won’t be in an easy position Saturday night against two world-class Ethiopian players, Selemon Barega and Genette Ware, as well as rising American star Yared Nugus. To his credit, Cole is ready to roll the dice from his strongest event. But it’s also clear he enjoys competing.
“Nuguse is moving forward and some very competitive Ethiopians have shown they can run around 7:20 and get close very well,” Kerr said. “It’s going to be a great race and that’s why I signed up for it. I haven’t signed up for an easy win or anything like that. I’ve signed up for another tough race at the World Championships.”
Kerr will compete on Saturday, just after Laura Muir competes in the women’s 3000m final, and there will be excitement at the Emirates Stadium with the prospect of two home medals. Pole vaulter Molly Caudery, who has achieved more than any woman in 2024, will also be a favorite on Saturday in what could be a special night for British Athletics.
GB are expected to win a fourth medal, with Jemma Reekie the favorite in the women’s 800m and Georgia Bell expected to provide a surprise in the 1500m.
Sadly, Ingebritsson, whom Cole defeated at the World Championships in August, will not be in Glasgow as he is still recovering from an Achilles injury. The pair engaged in several spats over the winter, with Kerr questioning Ingebritsen’s behavior and the Norwegian claiming he could break Kerr’s world record for a blindfolded two-mile indoor run.
“I don’t think it has a big impact on either side,” Kerr said. “No ill will towards him. It’s just that I’m a competitive person and I want to win, so it manifests itself in different ways sometimes. But I think he faces a similar situation.”
But when asked about competition from the Evening Standard, Cole was more blunt. “We, the 1,500-meter runners, are an interesting group,” he said. “We all have huge egos, we all want to win, we think we’re the best ever.
“We’re not playing a contact sport, so there’s a weird balance between all that crap and the speed of going out there and running. It’s fun and hopefully fun for people to watch.”
There’s certainly a lot to watch at this weekend’s Indoor Championships, and it’s of high quality. Twenty reigning world champions and seven Tokyo Olympic gold medalists will appear.
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In addition, there are seven world record holders participating in the competition, including pole vaulter Mondo Duplantis, Karsten Warholm in the 400m event and Grant Holloway in the 60m hurdles.
Friday night’s action kicked off with two of the best sprinters in the world, Noah Lyles and Christian Coleman, going head-to-head in the men’s 60m event . But inevitably most of the UK’s attention will be drawn to Cole, who insists success has not changed him.
“There’s more external noise now, but internally, that’s always been the goal and that’s the athlete I’ve always thought I was,” he said. “The noise got a little louder, but I focused on myself and making sure I could compete at the highest level.”
As Britain’s most high-profile male athletics athlete prepares to return to competition once again, his confidence is undeniable.
“We’re trying to get healthy and we’re really tapering on that,” he added. “So if things don’t go the way I want them to go, I have no excuses. I’m focused on winning for our team. Gold medal and do it in front of our home fans.”
