Josh Kerr ruins Norway’s party at the World Cup

2023-08-23 22:50:58

Everything was ready to experience the Norwegian party at the World Cup in Budapest. In just over half an hour, Karsten Warholm and Jakob Ingebrigtsen were summoned, two of the great stars of world athletics willing to put on a show and, of course, to add one more title to their record.

But while the hurdler fulfilled another of those demonstrations of his strength and authority, Jakob once again lived a black day in the 1,500 meters. Again in a World Cup, the Norwegian was crossed by a British to steal the glory and the title that is missing in his showcase. This time the Scotsman Josh Kerr knew how to read the race perfectly to prolong the surprising reign of the British midfielder.

During the eighties, Sebastian Coe, Steve Ovett and Steve Cram formed a full trio of quality that dominated the 800 and 1,500 meters until the arrival of the Africans. Now, more than three decades later, Great Britain has resurfaced and is great again in the 1,500m to the misfortune of a Jakob Ingebrigtsen who seemed unstoppable and who cannot find a way to break down the wall that the World Cup represents for him in this distance. Yes, it’s true, the great dominator of the 1,500 is still not world champion of the distance. And all because of athletes like Wightman, gold in Eugene last year, and Josh Kerr, champion this Wednesday in Budapest.

The British have been able to make the Norwegian champion earthy based on a very simple tactic: lose fear of him, stand up to him and compete like in a World Cup final and not a Diamond League, as recalled by Mario García Romo, the Spaniard who he finished sixth and getting closer to the podium. «I am very happy, I have finished as high as possible. Surely in future years that medal will fall, “said the man from Salamanca.

Jakob seemed to have everything under control. When passing through the 500 he felt uncomfortable and started to lead the race, it seemed that he was already sentenced. But the 1,500 lives glory days and yesterday there were up to seven athletes who had run for less than 3.30 this year. That’s why no one had a problem keeping up and saving their cards for the last round. And there, as if it were a ‘dejavu’, Ingebrigtsen once again had a Briton on his right side in the middle of the World Cup final. This time it wasn’t Wightman, injured, but Josh Kerr, a Scotsman from Edinburgh who, at the age of 17, bet everything on crossing the pond and going to the United States to study and compete. In the straight, Ingebrigtsen, unaccustomed to having a rival, gave way. The same movie, the same ghosts from a year ago, when the Norwegian found himself outclassed by a Kerr shot for gold.

After him, a Norwegian double, since third place went to Narve Gilje Nordas, although of course the flavor of the medal for the two Nordics was very different. Ingebrigsen’s, for the second consecutive year, tasted like defeat, although he has 5,000 left to turn the World Cup around. For happiness, Kerr was already there, who at 25 years old achieved his first great success, although we must not forget that he was already on the Olympic podium when he was third in the 1,500-meter final in Tokyo.

Raised in the Edinburgh team, with a rugby player father and brother, Josh made the decision that has changed his life at the age of 17. He decided to travel to the United States and there, Danny Mackey has been polishing this runner who has also had to do hard mental work with a mindfulness coach to become world champion. “I have some deep weaknesses in my mind that we’re working on,” explained Kerr, who always runs wearing sunglasses, which also helps him stay focused, as he demonstrated yesterday.

Grand Hurdling Final

Who has returned to the fore after last year’s hiatus due to injuries is Warholm. In Budapest, that trio of talents completed by Rai Benjamin and Alison dos Santos, who this season has had to suffer physical problems, met again. With these three, the 400 meter hurdles final is a spectacle.

But this time, something changed. Warholm was more controlled at the start, more restrained, which allowed him to reach the final stretch stronger, where he was able to distance himself from Benjamin and a sunken Dos Santos. Another talent slipped into the party, Kyron McMaster, to take the silver (47.34) behind a Warholm who did 46.89.

In the women’s pole vault there was not one winner, but two. The Australian Nina Kennedy and the American Katie Moon held an intense duel that ended in a draw after overcoming 4.90 meters.