"I need to be better" - Josh Kerr opens up on his chances of winning gold medal at Paris Olympics 2024

Josh Kerr was featured in the Beasts: Unleashed episode named 'Josh Kerr and The Hunt for Gold'. The 1500m World champion will look to make the Olympic roster alongside other promising US track names. However, he feels that his current speed won't do the magic unless he reinforces his existing ones.

Kerr, 26, made his mark as a worthy arch-rival of Norwegian reigning champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen, thus defeating him in the 1500m at the 2023 World Athletics Championships. To end his 2023 season, Kerr secured the third rank in 1500m in the World Athletics rankings, followed by the Scottish Sportsperson of the Year title claim.

In 2024, Josh Kerr lowered the world record in indoor 2 miles at the Milrose Games, his first race of the season. Mo Farah held the previous record (8:03.40) since 2015, which Kerr outpaced in 8:00.67.

More wins came from the World Athletics Indoor Championships, where he won the 3000m in 7:42.98, and the Oregon Relays, clocking 1:45.94 to clinch the 800m win. However, his pace isn't satisfactory to him, despite all these podium finishes. In the Olympic year, his only aim is to get faster than the Worlds.

In the recent Citius Mag's Beasts: Unleashed episode, the European indoor mile record holder shared en route to Paris plans:

"I think that the fun part for me is it's a new challenge and it's a whole new competition. I need to be better. The Olympic final is going to be faster than the world final."

He added how the arduous journey to make the team will not stop him:

"The runs are going to be faster. It's going to be a harder team to make and I'm just excited to be up for that challenge."

Josh Kerr on why he considers Jakob Ingebrigtsen as his biggest rival

World Athletics Indoor Championships Glasgow 2024 - Day Two

The 1500m stint of Ingebrigtsen ended in the second consecutive World loss. In a BBC video, Josh Kerr's conviction was tested and he foresaw himself as the Olympic 1500 champion.

“Josh Kerr gets crowned as the Olympic 1,500m champion," he emulated the Olympic announcers.

However, he thinks that Ingebrigtsen and his values align and both vie for the golds always, the sole reason behind the strong rivalry.

"He is very dedicated and he’s amazing at our sport” but “wants to be the best in the world and so do I, and that’s going to make us clash 10 times out of 10," Kerr said to The Guardian.