TOKYO2025: British athlete fires warning to opponents ahead of 1500m final

Great Britain’s middle-distance runner Josh Kerr has dared his opponents ahead of the men’s 1500m final at the World Athletics Championships in Japan, telling them to be ready for a real battle.

Kerr, who is the event’s defending champion having won the title in Budapest two years ago, fired a warning shot at his competitors shortly after squeezing his way through the semifinals on Monday, 15 September.

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The 27-year-old finished second in Heat One, and was fortunate not to suffer an injury after tripping as he crossed the finish line.

After the shocks of losing multiple indoor champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen, Frenchman Azeddine Habz and second fastest man this year Phanuel Koech in the qualifying phases over the weekend, another big medal prospect - Cole Hocker - tumbled out of the competition on Monday, following a decision that he had gained an unfair advantage over Germany's Robert Farken in Heat Two.

The exits now mean Kerr, who won silver at the Paris Olympics last year, is the only athlete from the summer games to book a place in the final.

That, as per, the Scotsman, adds a bounce in his step ahead of the final scheduled for Wednesday, 17 September at 1620hrs.

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“I have my work cut out for me, but I feel pretty confident," said Kerr. "We're getting places. I would say it's among the most confident I've gone into a world final.

But each championships bring their own kind of challenges and fun, and I'll keep doing what I can to show up and medal and go after the gold.

It's my title, it will be a real battle for whoever wants to come and take it off of me."

Leading the charge of those contending for the title will be Kenya’s Timothy Cheruiyot, a former World Championships gold medalist, and 2022 World Under 20 champion Reynold Cheruiyot.

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Also in the hunt will be 2022 world champion Jake Wightman and Dutchman Niels Laros, who has held training this year with the aforementioned Timothy.