Josh named GB and NI captain for Olympics
With victories in successive global championships, Josh Kerr is more than entitled to be aiming high for the Olympics.
So much so, in fact, that in a BBC Scotland quickfire Q and A session he was asked if he would ‘settle for silver, (if offered in advance)’ in the Men’s 1500m, where Jakob Ingebrigtsen lurks as a huge threat.
‘Nope’ replied Scotland’s reigning World champion and World Indoors gold medal, without missing a beat.
Kerr’s confidence is well-placed and has significant basis in substance.
He landed bronze at the last Olympics in Tokyo but his career trajectory in the intervening three years is such that he feels almost obliged to target gold.
‘I am aiming high in Paris,’ he told Scottish Athletics recently.
‘That is what my support system deserves, what my family deserves. And Scottish Athletics and British Athletics. They have all played roles in my journey.
‘I am trying to put myself in a position to win these big races and it does not matter the level of competition – be it a Diamond League, the World indoors or the Olympics.
BBC Scotland background read on Josh
Budapest winner . . . Josh crosses the line first at the 2023 World Champs in Hungary (photo by Mark Shearman)
Neil’s Eric Liddell Trophy link and Jake all set for 800m
‘I am looking to go out and win and that mentality doesn’t ever change to be honest. Even with the scale of the competition and the noise around that.
‘It will be a dogfight to try and fulfil my ambitions. That is what people buying tickets for the Olympics are paying money to see.
‘If it was going to be easy, then not many people would watch.
‘I am excited for it and for a ‘war’ with the rest of the other guys. The GB and NI team is awesome so I am excited to see that and see how we compete.’
After winning the World Indoor title over 3000m at Glasgow 2024, Josh revealed to us he had visited Paris at Christmas expressly to prepare and visualise for the Olympics.
‘Visiting Paris back at Christmas time has been useful to me,’ added the Edinburgh AC athlete named GB and NI captain for the athletics at the Olympics,
‘It gave me context for the city, the Stade de France stadium and the track surroundings. It helped with visualisation and having more of an idea of the environment where the Olympics will…
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