Track and field are renowned for its thrilling, edge-of-the-seat moments, with rivalries adding to the sport’s allure. Iconic matchups such as Usain Bolt vs. Justin Gatlin and the ongoing Noah Lyles and Christian Coleman rivalry have mesmerized fans with outstanding performances. Along the same line, Josh Kerr and Jakob Ingebrigtsen have injected one more iconic rivalry into distance running, highlighting the thrill of track rivalries.

In the recent past, a controversy has erupted in track and field involving the two top middle-distance runners. The dispute began a few months back when Kerr made comments about the Ingebrigtsen family, which prompted a strong rebuttal from Jakob. He accused Kerr of being a “coward”. Despite the intense backlash, Kerr has remained steadfast in his position during a recent conversation, further fueling the rivalry between the two prominent athletes. 

In an interview with FloTrack on YouTube, Josh Kerr sat down to discuss his comments on Jakob Ingebrigtsen and his family in November on Spotify’s Sunday Podcast. Kerr told FloTrack that though he does not mean any ill will to Jacob’s family, he was just being truthful, adding, “I’ve been honest throughout everything I’ve said.” He continued saying, ”No we’re not friends, we don’t hang out, we don’t text, we race each other and that’s our relationship.” On that podcast, Kerr had stated that Ingebrigtsen was “surrounded by so many yes-men that you don’t realize that you have weaknesses.”

Moreover, he added, “the ego is pretty high on this one”. Kerr hypothesized that this could cost Jacob heavily in 2024, saying, “If he doesn’t realize that he’s got some real major weaknesses, then he will not win the 1500-meter gold medal next year.” Naturally, that did not sit well with Ingebrigtsen. He took no time to hit back at that.

“For them to have a personal issue – multiple layers of personal issues with me as a person and my family – is laughable. The issue I’m having is acknowledging the fact that there’s a lot of issues there, which I just think is untrue…I just know that some things that they’re saying is just at the border of lying and maybe being a coward,” Ingebrigtsen had said Blasting Kerr on that occasion. Despite facing backlash for his comments, Kerr remained unbothered. At the Prefontaine pre-race conference, Kerr and Ingebrigtsen sat side by side.

He was blunt when describing their relationship, saying, “I wouldn’t say this is a counseling session so I don’t know if I can explain our relationship. But we are fierce competitors who both want to be the best in the world and that’s not going to change regardless of comments.” The two have been going back and forth since winter last year and with Paris on the horizon, they are both eager to gain an upper hand over their rival. The renewed clash at the Prefontaine Classics on Sunday will only go to cement this tension. 

Josh Kerr vs. Jacob Ingebrigtsen: a “good” rivalry for track and field?

The competition and tension between British Josh Kerr and Norwegian athlete Jakob Ingebrigtsen have only intensified since the 2023 World Championships in Budapest. After Kerr won against the reigning Olympic Champion in the 1500m race, Ingebrigtsen called Kerr “just the next guy.” This did not sit well with Kerr, who retaliated by calling Ingebrigtsen an egoist.

Though Kerr did admit he was a little “loose” with the things he said over the winter, right now he was just focusing on the upcoming Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon. It is the first time Ingebrigtsen is going to compete for the first time since his ACL injury. Whereas Kerr, who holds the world record performance in the two-mile of 8:00:67 at the Millrose Games, is the favorite to win. 

At a press conference before the Diamond League event, Jakob Ingebrigtsen said, “If we take a step back and look at it, it’s good for the sport,” adding the “hype and attention” will generate more viewers. But Kerr said he is just trying to be the best in the world, adding, “I don’t really care how this race affects anyone else. It’s going to affect my season and my career and that’s the selfish way that I look at my racing because it’s an individual sport.” At the moment, it seems impossible to really tell who is going to come out on top. This is because, despite his injury, Jakob holds the European records in the mile and 3000m events. So he will be eager to avenge his loss to Kerr from last year.