Jakob Ingebrigtsen issues lengthy message after 'feud' with Josh Kerr exploded in astonishing Olympic upset
Updated . First published
Crashes, cameramen going rogue and a heated post-race altercation among rivals during the men's 5000m heats on Wednesday morning are only partly responsible for Stade de France's reputation for housing nothing but melodrama at Paris 2024.
The other culprits are, of course, Great Britain's Josh Kerr and Norway's Jakob Ingebrigtsen, whose "feud" has finally boiled over on the world's biggest stage after bubbling for 12 long months.
Now, Ingebrigtsen has conceded defeat in a lengthy – and surprisingly humble – message issued to his 612,000 fans hours after one of the most astonishing upsets in Olympic history.
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What was billed as a "race for the ages" between Kerr and Ingebrigtsen on Tuesday in Paris definitely delivered on its promise, but it was neither of the trash-talking rivals who ultimately took out the men's 1500m gold.
Josh Kerr and Jakob Ingebrigtsen finally faced off in Paris after 12 months of talking about it, but it didn't go how either of them planned. DeFodi Images via Getty Images
That honour went to Cole Hocker of the USA, who beat silver medallist Kerr by 0.14. Ingebrigtsen, meanwhile, didn't even get a podium place.
"Well, I guess he did show up after all," Ingebrigtsen, 23, later wrote on Instagram in reference to Kerr's famous promise to beat him on the track and end their year-long war of words. "Hocker and [bronze medallist Yared Nuguse] as well."
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"My team always say that 'because you have a big mouth and is the one to beat, you have everything to lose in competitions'. Today, [Hocker, Kerr and Nuguse] outsmarted me," Ingebrigtsen continued.
"They were 'the best guys' when it really mattered. And I want to congratulate them all on a great performance! Of course, I am disappointed!"
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Ingebrigtsen, who went on to win his 5000m heat the next morning, then reflected on his running career and thanked his support system.
Kerr, for his part, didn't overtly address the feud that had been festering in the lead-up to the final, but his post-race Instagram message did appear to hint at it.
"A silver finish, but the journey was pure gold," Kerr, 26, wrote.
And that was that. The soap opera's season finale has officially come and gone.
How we got here
Ingebrigtsen and Kerr's squabble had well and truly taken off last August, when Ingebrigtsen – in his usual style – led for much of the 1500m at the World Athletics Championships, before being beaten by Kerr at the finish.
After that race in Budapest, Hungary, Ingebrigtsen said he'd been sick.
"Not being 100 per cent and not feeling 100 per cent when it really matters, it's disappointing," Ingebrigtsen said, angering fans who believed his comment took away from Kerr's victory.
To that, Kerr responded three months later on The Sunday Plodcast with a wry observation that Ingebrigtsen appeared to win only when someone tries to stay up close next to him at the front, acting as a pacemaker – when it comes to more tactical races, Kerr claimed, he has the best of Ingebrigtsen.
Kerr earned silver in the 1500m, and Ingebrigtsen didn't earn any medal. Hannah Peters/Getty Images
"I'm like, 'You've won so many races, you ran fantastic all season that you're just on this – you must be surrounded by so many yes-men that you don't realise that you have weaknesses.' And I think that was part of his downfall," Kerr told hosts Oli Lum and Matt Seddon.
"If he doesn't realise that he's got some real major weaknesses, then he will not win the 1500m gold medal next year [at Paris 2024]," Kerr continued. "And you know, I'm OK with that ... I would love for him to be listening to this."
Ingebrigtsen was, indeed, listening. And then he started talking.
"I would have beaten him in that race blindfolded," Ingebrigtsen claimed to Norwegian media company TV2 in response to Kerr's comments. "But it's good that people run better than they have done before."
Nine months later, Ingebrigtsen and Kerr faced off at the Prefontaine Classic in May, with Kerr beating Ingebrigtsen in the prestigious Bowerman Mile – but he didn't beat Ingebrigtsen's 2023 course record of 3:43.73.
The duo met once again in Paris on Sunday, when they were put in the same 1500m semifinal – but that was only after Ingebrigtsen said Kerr is a "Brit who does not compete" in reference to his lack of 1500m races contended in 2024, and Kerr saying he'll define himself on the track no matter Ingebrigtsen's opinion.
When they reached the finish line on Sunday, they were neck-and-neck. Kerr came second by 0.12 seconds to Ingebrigtsen's first, and the final was promised to be an even more brutal race.
"Fans should expect the most competitive 1500m the sport has seen in a long time," Kerr said after the semifinal over the weekend.
"There's been a lot of talking words over the last few years... I'm looking to settle that on Tuesday."
And, in a way, Kerr did. But it may not have been how he hoped to.
