The rivals will go head-to-head for the primary time on British soil on the London Stadium
In a a lot anticipated head-to-head, a number of Olympic, world and European champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen will line up in opposition to world champion and Olympic silver medallist Josh Kerr over 1500m on the London Athletics Meet on July 19.
This would be the first time the pair race one another on British soil. Ingebrigtsen’s final 1500m race within the UK was in 2021 on the Gateshead Diamond League, making this a long-awaited return for the Norwegian star.
Kerr, the reigning world champion, famously upset Ingebrigtsen in Budapest in 2023, including to his Olympic bronze from 2021.
Olympic 1500m remaining (Getty)
That victory kicked off a stellar 12-month run for the Scot, which included a world indoor 3000m title in Glasgow, Olympic silver in Paris, a British 1500m file (3:27.79), a world greatest for 2 miles indoors (8:00.67), and a British mile file (3:45.34).
“I’ve by no means shied away from the truth that I’m attempting to be the most effective 1500m runner of our period, and which means profitable extra titles and working sooner instances than everybody else,” mentioned Kerr.
“None of it comes straightforward and we’re all working arduous to attain our objectives. For me, that features racing a bit extra this summer time, however my objective for the yr is easy; I need to defend my world title in Tokyo and the whole lot I do between from time to time, together with lining up on the London Athletics Meet, is targeted on reaching that objective.”
Josh Kerr wins world indoor gold
Ingebrigtsen, nevertheless, stays probably the most adorned athletes within the sport. The 24-year-old boasts an unbelievable 13 European monitor titles (indoor and out of doors), and most just lately claimed double gold within the 1500m and 3000m on the World Athletics Indoor Championships in China. He additionally holds a number of world information, together with the indoor 1500m (3:29.63), indoor mile (3:45.14), 2000m (4:43.13), and 3000m (7:17.55), together with the quickest time ever recorded over two miles (7:54.10). His 3:26.73 over 1500m stands because the European file and the fourth-fastest in historical past.
Whereas Ingebrigtsen has typically bounced again from defeats with emphatic wins — together with 5000m world titles following 1500m losses to Jake Wightman in 2022 and Kerr in 2023 — the rivalry with Kerr is shortly turning into certainly one of monitor and subject’s most compelling storylines. Notably, Kerr additionally completed forward of Ingebrigtsen on the Paris Olympics, taking silver because the Norwegian got here in fourth.
Ingebrigtsen mentioned: “I like to race, and the London Diamond League is an ideal match for my schedule. I’ve recovered nicely from the indoors and coaching goes nicely. I’ve by no means been afraid to point out up and it felt good to come back away from the World and European Indoor Championships with 4 gold medals.
“My focus is now on the summer time and returning to Tokyo – the place I gained my Olympic title in 2021 – to win world gold. Competing in London is an important a part of my construct, and I do know the ambiance will likely be unbelievable.”
Jakob Ingebrigtsen (Getty)
The London Athletics Meet – the world’s largest one-day athletics occasion – is the eleventh assembly of the 2025 Wanda Diamond League. The sequence pays out a file whole of $9.24 million in prize cash and includes of 15 occasions throughout 4 completely different continents, beginning with Xiamen on April 26 and concluding with a single remaining throughout two days in Zurich (August 27-28).
Cherry Alexander OBE, Strategic Lead for Occasions at UK Athletics mentioned: “The London Athletics Meet has a confirmed file of delivering a monitor and subject spectacle for followers that options world-class performances from the perfect athletes throughout the globe going face to face and this yr’s occasion will likely be no completely different.
“It’s unbelievable that we now have bought over 50,000 tickets already and are nicely on monitor for an additional sellout London Diamond League occasion, proving that the British public can’t get sufficient of stay athletics on this nation. With the UK Athletics Championships heading again to Alexander Stadium in Birmingham, it’ll be an epic summer time for athletics followers within the UK.”
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