The recent Bowerman Mile has sparked a contentious debate. The top contenders in 1500m for the Paris Olympics, Josh Kerr of Scotland and Jakob Ingebrigtsen of Norway competed in a race that has left observers wondering. The rivalry between Kerr and Ingebrigtsen is becoming one of the most talked-about matters in track and field as the Paris Olympics approaches near with only 61 days to go. Meanwhile, thoughts on who will win the gold in Paris are split after Kerr edged off Ingebrigtsen.

“Does the Bowerman Mile result change your mind about who could win in the Olympics?” asked a Reddit post on the track and field forum “Time Explorer u/TimeExplorer5463”. The answer to this was bound to be difficult. In fact, there could not have been a one-word solution to this.

Kerr lived up to the hype in what was dubbed the “mile of the century,” hitting a new national record with a finish time of 3:45.34. This incredible feat became the tenth-fastest mile in history and shattered Steve Cram’s 39-year-old British mile mark. In addition, Kerr’s accomplishment set a personal best and a season record.

On the other hand, Ingebrigtsen, the 1500m Olympic champion, came in second with an official time of 3:45.60, while recovering from an injury. Yared Nuguse came in third with a time of 3:46.22. Kerr’s win over Ingebrigtsen comes after their world title battle in Budapest, with Kerr coming out victorious. Interestingly, the battle still continued verbally. That kept their rivalry alive in the minds of the enthusiasts, probably even through the offseason. Therefore, the question asked in the Reddit post instantly sparked intense reactions. However, unanimity was a far cry.

Fans weigh in on Josh Kerr and Jakob Ingebrigtsen’s probabilities

One user mentioned Josh Kerr’s performance. But at the same time pointed to a distinctive element in the race stating, “Nah. Kerr looked strong, but nobody is trying to peak for this race.” Notably, after the race, Kerr himself noted that he had more to offer even after this. He asserted that he was “not anywhere near my peak right now” while also adding, “3:45 right now is good enough, but we’ve got to make some progress.” A user’s response offers a more balanced perspective on the battle, praising Kerr yet recognizing Ingebrigtsen’s impressive turnaround.

The user wrote, “I still give Kerr the edge, but less than I would have a few months ago when Ingebrigtsen’s condition was less clear. 3:45 your first run back after a while from injury a stride back is impressive.” Ingebrigtsen himself had the same thought as he expressed his satisfaction with the result after the race. He declared that his fitness was “better than he was expecting,” while also adding, “Even though I have been injured, I still think this is an improvement from last year.” Another user shared a thorough analysis of their anticipation.

 “I am 36% Kerr, 34% Jakob, 15% Nuguse, and 15% field,” the user explained. This emphasizes how fiercely competitive and unexpected the race is. Another user commented in response, saying, “I like that you include a goodly percentage for the field. The past two world championships were won by ‘the field.’ So good to keep in mind,” highlighting the value of noting every aspect of a race. But it seems that Kerr outclassed his opponents with his impeccable of race planning.

Josh Kerr was running in the pack behind pacemaker Abe Alvarado through 800m in 1:52.8. But he then surprised his main rivals by abruptly moving to take the lead in the third quarter of the race. It could have landed him in trouble. But he had little time to think and execute it. But Kerr has his logic for the move.

After the race, Kerr said that the decision to surge early was “dumb.” In a conversation, Josh Kerr stated, “I knew if I thought it was a dumb decision, then it probably was, and that was going to scare myself and everyone else around me [in the race].” Interestingly, one user unleashed another side of their iconic rivalry.

The user commented: “Ingebrigtsen losing to Kerr today is honestly probably the best thing for him to win the Olympics. Jakob isn’t 100% fit, but 3:45 indicates he can get to 100% by the Olympics. He gets some extra motivation for training instead of thinking gold will come easy to him.” Indeed, he will. After all, competition is all that defines the relationship of the two runners. “we’re not friends, we don’t hang out, we don’t text, we race each other and that’s our relationship,” Kerr had come out clear recently.

From this angle, it appears that Ingebrigtsen might benefit from having suffered a recent setback. Another individual offered their tactical insight, stating, “If Jakob drafts off Kerr for most of the race I don’t think he’ll ever have a chance because of his inferior kick. I feel like with how fit Kerr is, Jakob will have to run at the slowest 3:28 low from the front to keep him off.” From the state of affairs, it seems like only the Olympic arena will bring out the verdict of this longstanding debate.