Pre Classic Mile Serves As Appetizer In The Build Up To Paris And Bragging Rights In The 1,500

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

John Nepolitan photo

EUGENE -- Whether it was cordial or perhaps a tad frosty, the press conference session Friday featuring Josh Kerr and Jakob Ingebrigtsen at the Prefontaine Classic provided an extraordinary moment to hear from them while they sat within arm's reach. 

The Olympic champion, Ingebrigtsen, and the 2023 World champion, Kerr, have exchanged a few pointed barbs over social media. 

Both are in their prime and want the same thing, which is to the best middle-distance runner at the Paris Olympics, and of their generation. They stand in one another's way. 

"I wouldn't say this is a counseling session, so I don't think I can explain the relationship," Kerr said when asked about his feelings toward Ingebrigtsen. "We're fierce competitors and both want to be the best in the world. That's not going to change."

To put it more succinctly: They are not friends. 

Saturday's Bowerman Mile features the two of them racing in one of the deepest fields in history. 

"If we take a step back and look at it, in the big picture ... I'd say it's good for the sport," Ingebrigtsen said of the rivalry. "All these things that create hype, or just engagement, or causing attention, that's definitely positive for all of us."

American Yared Nuguse, also on the dais Friday, ran 3:43.97 for second and American record behind Ingebrigtsen (No. 3 all-time 3:43.73) last September in the Diamond League final. 

Both have run faster than Kerr, who has a possibility of breaking Steve Cram's 1985 British record of 3:46.32 on Saturday. Kerr hasn't raced many miles and owns an outdoor personal best of 3:53.88 from 2019, long before his recent breakthrough in 2022-24. He ran 3:48.87 indoors in Boston in 2022. 

Ingebrigtsen and his wife, Elisabeth, are expecting their first child next month. 

He also has a sterling record at the Pre Classic, with victories in the mile in 2021, 2022 and 2023. And before that, the Norwegian prodigy ran 3:58.07 in 2017 as a 17-year-old, 3:52.28 in 2018 at 18, and 3:51.30 in 2019 at 19. 

Kerr won an NCAA championship at Hayward Field in the 1,500 meters in 2017, running for the University of New Mexico. 

In the past year, Kerr has caught fire. He beat Ingebrigtsen to the finish line of the 1,500 meters at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest last summer. And then he won an indoor world title in the 3,000 in his hometown of Glasgow, Scotland in March. 

"I'm becoming the athlete that I always dreamed I could be," Kerr said last month at the Oregon Relays, where he made his outdoor debut in the 800.

Ingebrigtsen may not see Kerr as his biggest rival in particular, but perhaps Great Britain in general. In 2022, Jake Wightman beat him to win the world 1,500 meters title. (Wightman is in Saturday's race as well). 

Seven men in th field have run faster than 3:50: Ingebrigtsen, Kerr, Nuguse, Oliver Hoare, Cole Hocker, Hobbs Kessler and Neil Gourley.

"I'm excited about it," Kerr said. "We're going to put on a show. There's 16 guys and any of them can win. We've got every title you could ask for and any record, as well. I think regardless of the result, everyone's going to be entertained and is going to have some stuff to talk about."