Josh Kerr: I want to be the best 1500m runner of this era - "That means I need to have more titles.. and run faster times."

He's already the best in the era, btw.

There are two guys who have both Olympic golds and faster 1500 PRs. One of them is over a second faster at 1500 and has a 3-2 record vs. Kerr in global championship 1500s, and absolutely owns the DL circuit.

You’re counting 2019 where neither medaled?

Also interesting to see that he's applying for a Green Card.

I know he’s finally getting married in 2025 and his wife is American. Also could maybe do EB1 which specifically includes Oly medalists

Of course we are. Why wouldn’t we? We are evaluating their entire careers thus far.

He should try to run in more meets then, or is he just banking on netting grand slam titles?

Jakob is undeniably the best in the era. Any sane person would say this.

Zero accolades without pacers btw.

1 olympic gold and 3 Euro Champs in the 1500 m without pacers speaks for itself.

Don’t get why he feels the need to respond to anything his competitors say even if it has nothing to do with him. Very odd he said that. Continues to do everything possible to turn people off as fans of his

I think it's related to this quote from the interview re: the hype of the men's 1500m final in Paris and how his trash talking with Jakob contributed to it:

“I feel like I’m a massive reason why that race was as hyped up as it was, and I feel a great amount of responsibility for that,” says Kerr. “I know the other 1500m guys are pretty thankful for how big a stage we made that. I think we put on a show. We made people care about our sport.”

I said in another thread that Kerr is similar to Noah Lyles in that they deliberately say and do things to generate buzz about the sport, and they are willing to take on the villain role to do it. His comments about putting on a show and making people care about the sport remind me of what Lyles tweeted last summer about his Olympic performances: "I hope everyone enjoyed the show. Whether you were rooting for me or against me, you have to admit you watched, didn't you?"

I disagree. I don't think it's clear who is the best of this era. From 2019 to today, five different people have won gold at each of the five global champs. Two guys have medals from three of those champs (Jakob and Kerr) but still only one gold each. No doubt, Jakob dominates the circuit, but that's a very specific type of racing and those races are kind of meaningless in the grand scheme of things, unless he does eventually the WR in one of them. So I don't think there's a clear best of the era.

What I will say for Jakob is that he's the most important 1500m runner since El G. He has changed the game entirely and raised the floor of the event. Every single guy on the circuit owes the PB to Jakob. There still hasn't been a sub-3:30 race without Jakob for at least five years. Just watch any DL 1500 when Jakob isn't running and it is inevitably won in a une above 3:30. While he hasn't yet raised the ceiling of the 1500, he's made it the current field the most competitive in history. When they're all retired and looking back, I think even his fiercest rivals will recognise that.

I saw an interview of Kerr saying that was "hoping to be in 3:26 shape this year" or "was aiming for 3:26 this season" (Something along those lines.

Not impossible, but that's gonna be a tall order. I wouldn't be surprised if he's able to improve his 3:27.79, but I also wouldn't be surprised if he never improves it. (Monaco would probably be the best chance, but Kerr has so far never raced in Monaco)

After the Eugene 2022 final he said in an interview that "I'm in 3:27-high shape right now)

That was not even close to being true. His finals that year was: 3:35.92 (5th in Birmingham DL), 3:40.63 (3rd in Manchester, UK championships), 3:30.60 (5th in Eugene WC), 3:35.72 (12th in Birmingham, Commonwealth Games), 3:32.28 (4th in Lausanne DL) and 3:31.85 (6th in Zurich DL)

Such an overrated runner, why do we keep talking about him

1 Oly gold plus however many Euros.

Indoor WR as well. It was an El G record so don't say it was soft or weak.

1 Oly gold. 2 WC silvers. 3 Euro titles and a 3:26 guy to boot. As well as a very consistent sub 3:28 guy for the last couple years.

I think 2025 might be Kerr's last great chance to win a gold medal in a major championships (if we count outdoor championships)

Most 1500m runners are in their prime between the year they turn 23 and the year they turn 27 (With some exceptions of course) Kerr turns 28 this october. He will be one month away from his 30th birthday during the 2027 WC.

I took a look at the all-time top 25 list, and 6 of those guys set their PBs outside the "23 to 27-window". Ngeny turned 22 the year he set his PB, Iguider turned 28, Farah turned 30, Kwemoi turned 19 (might have incorrect birthdate/year), Cacho turned 28, Kipchirchir Komen turned 22

And if we look at Olympic and World champions from 1980 and up until today the oldest winners are:

1. Bernard Lagat 32 years 8 months (Osaka 2007)

2. Hicham El Guerrouj 29 years 11 months (Athens 2004)

3. Hicham El Guerrouj 28 years 11 months (Paris 2003)

4. Jake Wightman 28 years 0 months (Eugene 2022)

5. Sebastian Coe 27 years 10 months (Los Angeles 1984)

So Tokyo 2025 might be Kerr's last great chance. I'm not certain what the winning time in Tokyo will be, but I'm pretty sure it will be sub-3:30. The last 5 consecutive championships have all been won in a sub-3:30 time. If the winning time is 3:29.xx or 3:27.xx is another conversation.

(I might be wrong, but most 1500m runners are in their prime in their mid-20s)

(If we include the Commonwealth Games as "Major outdoor championships" he might have a chance in the 2026 edition. But he doesn't have to face Jakob, Hocker, Nuguse, Kessler or Laros in that one)

Zero World Records

Zero Olympic Golds

Not the best of this, or any, era with those on his resume.