Jakob Ingebrigtsen loses 1,500m gold at World Athletics Championships

Olympic champion and Olympic record holder Jakob Ingebrigsten’s determined quest to finally nab world championship gold was thwarted for a second year in a row as the Olympic bronze medallist, Josh Kerr of Great Britain, stormed across the line in Budapest on Wednesday, 27 hundredths of a second ahead of the Norwegian.

Kerr’s time was 3:29.38. Forced to settle for silver, Ingebrigtsen crossed in 3:29.65, while another Norwegian, Narve Gilje Nordås (who is coached by Ingebrigtsen’s father, Gjert), captured bronze in 3:29.68.

Kenya’s Abel Kipsang went to the front at the gun, while Ingebrigtsen briefly ran on his shoulder, but taking the lead 500 metres in, determined to control the pace from the front. Kerr settled near the middle of the pack of finalists, but stealthily made his way to the front, ready to challenge the leader when the time was right.

At the bell, it was Ingebrigtsen in front with Kerr on his shoulder, and the race for gold was on, Kerr pushing Ingebrigtsen hard, the day’s heat and humidity likely playing into the Norwegian’s inability to hold him off.

Kenya’s Abel Kipsang, who was fourth at last year’s Commonwealth Games, finished just off the podium, in 3:29.89, and the North American record holder, Yared Nuguse of the U.S., was fifth, in 3:30.25.

This photo speaks 1,000 words

Josh Kerr 🇬🇧 is your new world 1,500m champion

📷: Kevin Morris pic.twitter.com/sbVjSYbBFX

— Canadian Running (@CanadianRunning) August 23, 2023

Missing was Spain’s Mohamed Katir, who has been a determined competitor of Ingebrigtsen’s this season but who did not make the final.

This was Ingebrigtsen’s fourth world championship silver medal. At 16 (he is now 22), he became the youngest competitor ever to break four minutes in the mile. He is the fourth-fastest all-time over 1,500 metres, with a PB of 3:27.14, not far off Hicham El Guerrouj‘s world record of 3:26.00. At last year’s world championships in Eugene, Ore., Ingebrigtsen lost to Team GB’s Jake Wightman.

In a post-race interview, Ingebrigtsen reported having had a sore throat in the days leading up to the final, and while he thought he had recovered, he was obviously not 100 per cent.

Kerr, a former U20 champion (2015) and three-time NCAA winner from Scotland, did not make the final of the 2017 world championships; he was sixth in 2019 and fifth in 2022. He is 25.

The 2023 World Athletics Championships are taking place from August 19-27 at the National Stadium in Budapest, Hungary. All the action will be brought to you by Canadian Running and Asics Canada. Follow us on Twitter on Instagram for all things Team Canada and up-to-date exclusive news and content.