The Olympics before the athletics begins is a little like a feast without its main course: the abundance of choice is tantalising at first, but when the centrepiece is introduced it can be difficult to look anywhere else.
And while the Stade de France and its brand new purple track will host the blockbuster men’s and women’s 100m finals over the weekend, it’s another event that has been dubbed a “race for the ages” by World Athletics president Seb Coe. The clash of reigning Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Great Britain’s current world champion Josh Kerr in the final of the men’s 1500m is one of the most highly anticipated of Paris 2024. The opening session of the athletics on Friday morning offered a tantalising glimpse at what lies ahead.
Kerr and Ingebrigtsen have developed a sizzling rivalry since the Scot beat the Olympic champion at last year’s World Championship in Budapest. With neither lacking confidence and both unafraid to take shots at each other in the media, Kerr and Ingebrigtsen have routinely stoked the flames ahead of their showdown in Paris and the barbs have continued now the Olympics have begun. On Thursday, Ingebrigtsen said it was hard to view the Tokyo bronze medallist as a rival when he is “known as the Brit who never competes”.
The 26-year-old Kerr shrugged off the comment after setting a 3:35.83 in heats in what was his first 1500m race this year, noting that the Norwegian had chosen to overlook their last meeting in the mile race at Eugene in May. “We ran against each other earlier this year, and we saw how it went,” he said.
Ingebrigtsen and Kerr have not raced since Eugene. Ingebrigtsen had entered the 1500m distance five times before Paris. By contrast, Kerr chose to limit his appearances to the 800m at June’s British championships while concentrating on his build-up in the United States. By all regards, though, the 32-year-old Ingebrigtsen wasn’t wrong in his assessment and continued the frank honesty both he and Kerr have shown when discussing their relationship and the fact there’s no love lost between them.
It builds a fascinating rivalry between characters and competitors, charged by self-confidence. And that, really, was what produced the two most spectacular moments on the opening day of the track in Saint-Denis as the first round of the 1500m showed Kerr and Ingebrigtsen’s similarities as much as their differences. Racing in separate heats, both were happy to sit back until reaching the final bend, where they cruised around the outside to comfortably qualify for Sunday night’s semi-finals.
Ingebrigtsen, who theatrically slowed down and looked over his shoulder to both his left and right before crossing the line in 3:37.04, had started the defence of his Olympic crown so casually that it was like he was setting out for a morning jog. Overconfidence has come at a cost for Ingebrigtsen since appearing to have the world at his feet when setting an Olympic record in Tokyo three years ago – with defeats to Kerr and Jake Wightman in World Championship finals – but he could afford to leave plenty in the tank at this early stage.
As could Kerr, producing the same thrilling sight of athletes who were putting everything into charging out in front suddenly being passed into first by a superior rival who had left enough in reserve.
“Everyone gets really angsty in these first rounds because of all the build-up, the hype and it’s a big stadium with lots of people,” Kerr said. “So I just made sure I stayed relaxed and when it was time to go, I put the burners on …maybe a little bit too hard. I thought everyone was going to be battling with me. But I felt exactly how I thought I would, and it was a reassuring thing.”
Kerr has been more coy ahead of the Olympics after using mind games to his advantage in beating Ingebrigtsen at the World Championship. He described the superstar as having “major weaknesses” before exploiting them to win the biggest title of his career in Budapest, overhauling Ingebrigtsen’s lead on the final straight. In turn, Ingebrigtsen has doubled-down on the bravado. He claimed he would have beaten Kerr “blindfolded” when the Scot broke the two-mile record in New York in February, where the Norwegian was absent.
Fireworks were expected at the Olympics and were duly delivered as early as the opening morning on the track. But what promises to make Kerr and Ingebrigtsen’s battle so anticipated is the feud is set to continue long after the race is run as well. In Paris, the starting shot has been fired.
