Josh Kerr Edges Out Rival Jakob Ingebrigsten At Prefontaine Classic

The most iconic rivals in track and field went head to head in Oregon this weekend.

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The highlight event of this weekend’s Prefontaine Classic at Hayward Field was undoubtedly the Bowerman Mile, in which Josh Kerr overtook Jakob Ingebrigtsen with 600 meters to go, a move he initially doubted.

Despite knowing that Ingebrigtsen prefers to lead and the conventional wisdom advising him to wait until the final 200 meters, Kerr trusted his instincts and made his move early.

“I knew if I thought it was a dumb decision, then it probably was,” Kerr said. “And that was going to scare myself and everyone else around me [in the race]…I don’t really listen to other people when it comes to race strategy. I’m going to go with my instinct.”

Josh Kerr Edges Out Rival Jakob Ingebrigsten At Prefontaine Classic 1

Kerr’s career has been defined by such instinctive decisions. Last year, he unexpectedly mirrored Jake Wightman’s strategy at the 2022 World Athletics Championships, seizing the moment and securing a gold medal.

On Saturday, those instincts proved successful again. Kerr’s impressive 53.2 final 400 meters secured his victory in 3:45.34, just ahead of Ingebrigtsen’s 3:45.60.

This performance not only marked a personal best by three seconds but also placed Kerr sixth on the world all-time list. Additionally, he shattered Steve Cram’s long-standing British record of 3:46.32 from 1985.

Josh Kerr Edges Out Rival Jakob Ingebrigsten At Prefontaine Classic 2

Though delighted with the new record, Kerr remains focused on maintaining his position as the world’s best, following his recent world titles in the outdoor 1500 and indoor 3000 meters.

“We’re heading into the golden era of 1500-meter running in the UK and in Europe,” Kerr said. “…Today it was how can I win this race? And if I’m going to win this race, it’s probably going to be under 3:46.”

Kerr is not complacent despite this victory. Acknowledging that the race was akin to an Olympic final, he knows consistency over the next few months is essential to secure gold in Paris in August.

“The training that I’ve done is not anywhere near my peak right now,” Kerr said. “…I’ve had injuries past years coming into these events and I was able to be injury-free coming into this one. So these are the results that are going to come when I’m building toward something special. 3:45 right now is good enough, but we’ve got to make some progress from here.

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Both Kerr and rival Ingebrigsten know the level in the 1500m has gone up and are gearing up for a thrilling summer.

“Some of my competitors have clearly taken a step in the right direction, but not big enough a step that maybe is needed to be the favorite in Paris,” Ingebrigtsen said. “If anything, this is going to be an exciting summer.”

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Jessy Carveth

Senior News Editor

Jessy has been active her whole life, competing in cross-country, track running, and soccer throughout her undergrad. She pivoted to road cycling after completing her Bachelor of Kinesiology with Nutrition from Acadia University. Jessy is currently a professional road cyclist living and training in Spain.

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