Josh Kerr denies replying to Jakob Ingebrigtsen's subtle dig which fueled controversy between the two

Josh Kerr recently answered a question about his arch-rival Jakob Ingebrigtsen's comments on him just after the former clocked a new indoor 2-mile world record at the Millrose games.

Josh Kerr put forward an impressive performance at the Millrose games in his Olympic season opener meet. Josh won the gold medal in the 2-mile race and also clocked a new world record time of 8:00.67, taking 3 seconds off the previous world record held by the legendary British athlete Mo Farah.

Post his performance at the Millrose games, Josh received great praise from the track and field community for his performance. Moreover, this performance just stood as a teaser of what could come at the Paris Olympics.

However, his arch-rival and fellow middle-distance runner Jakob Ingebrigtsen made some comments which fueled controversy between the two. Speaking about Josh in an interview with Norway's TV2, he said:

"It is not certain that he runs any better now than last year at the same time; he did not run two miles then. I would have beaten him in that race, blindfolded…But it’s good that people run better than they have done before," Jakob said.

During a press conference ahead of the World Indoor Athletics Championships in 2024 in Glasgow, Josh was asked about his reply to Jakob's statements. He decided not to fuel anymore controversy and denied giving any opinions on the same.

"No comment," he said.

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A look at Josh Kerr's Junior career

Josh Kerr during the Olympics: Day 15

Josh Kerr belongs to a family of sportspersons. His father is a former rugby player and his brother followed in his father's footsteps to take up rugby professionally. Josh started track and field at the age of eight, at Edinburgh Athletics Club.

As he progressed in his junior career, Josh decided to compete in NCAA races by studying in the United States. However, Josh was rejected by many colleges except for the University of New Mexico where he received a full scholarship.

Josh made his mark on the junior circuit when he won his first 1500m gold medal at the European Championships. Furthermore, he dominated the NCAA circuit as a student at the University of New Mexico. In 2017, Josh won two national titles and became the first person since 2008 to win a gold medal in the indoor mile as well as the outdoor 1500m race.

As a junior athlete, Kerr pushed the limits of the sport. During his time he broke the collegiate record in the 1500m clocking 3:35.01, rewriting the record set in 1981. Josh Kerr let go of his eligibility as a senior in the NCAA and turned professional in June 2018.