Kerr keeps his cool to land another world crown

Scot storms to indoor title in front of the Glasgow crowd, while USA’s Elle St Pierre gets her timing just right to land women’s gold

Josh Kerr just kept on running. Having accomplished the mission he came home for – winning world indoor 3000m gold in front of a raucous Glasgow crowd – the Scot pointed to the air and barely slowed down, striding around the track for another half circuit, then pumping his chest as the Emirates Arena erupted.

“I just didn’t want to short change anyone tonight because I knew I had the support of all Scotland and the UK tonight. But I think I used more energy celebrating than I did in the race!” he joked after landing the title he coveted in a time of 7:42.98.

There were moments when things got a bit messy here, a little scrappy there as Kerr got his elbows out to either hold or engineer position. At one stage he was almost tripped towards the closing stages as he moved to the outside.

However, when he hit the bell right on the shoulder of Ethiopian defending champion Selemon Barega, the world 1500m gold medallist was perfectly poised to strike. He did just that down the back straight, surging past his rival in commanding fashion to hit the line first.

Barega didn’t even finish with silver as American Yared Nuguse produced a searing finish to edge him into third place, 7:43.59 to 7:43.64. Getnet Wale, who had done his best to lay the groundwork for his fellow countryman Barega, was fourth in 7:44.77.

All eyes, however, were on Kerr. With the Paris Olympics the primary focus of this year, the US-based Tokyo 1500m bronze medallist had to persuade his coach Danny Mackey that this trip would be worthwhile and wouldn’t do anything to damage his chances this summer. On this occasion, the heart and the emotional pull of these championships, was allowed to rule the head. It was a decision which paid off handsomely.

“This was so important to me because I’ve come to championships before not ready to take a real swing at it and I feel like I’ve let the UK audience down a bit the way I’ve performed in front of them, so to come here fit and ready to go and to do it here means everything,” said Kerr.

“I had to really keep a patient head and let it come together out there. I’m so glad I could do that. It wasn’t the cleanest race but I got it done and have another world title feels amazing. This packed Scottish stadium sounded like the loudest I’ve ever heard. I knew I needed not to let them down. It was emotional out there.”

Barega had led through the opening 1000m, reached in 2:39.15, before allowing Wale to take the front of much of the following 1000m. Barega was in front at 2000m in 5:17.74 before Wale took over again. As this all played out, Kerr kept cool despite the hustle and bustle of the pack.

Barega was in front once more with two laps to go before American Olin Hacker decided to cause some disruption with a burst of pace. That split things up nicely for Kerr to set himself for a final assault. As in Budapest, he timed his run perfectly and was able to experience that winning feeling once again.

The sell-out crowd had arrived in Glasgow with hopes of seeing two Scots striking 3000m gold. It wasn’t to be for Laura Muir in the women’s race, however, as she came home in fifth during a rapid race that was won by a brilliant, championships record-breaking performance from USA’s Elle St Pierre.

As in the men’s event, an Ethiopian athlete – this time 5000m world record-holder Gudaf Tsegay – was in prime position in the latter stages. However, St Pierre sensed her opponent was beginning to fade on the closing lap and seized her chance to come through, winning in 8:20.87, with Tsegay in 8:21.13 and steeplechase world record-holder Beatrice Chepkoech in a Kenyan record of 8:22.68.

There was an Oceania record for Australian fourth place Jessica Hull (8:24,39), while Muir clocked 8:29.76.

Chepkoech had made the early running from Tsegay, Hull and St Pierre, with Muir content to sit further back and bide her time as the field hit 1000m in 2:48.83.

Tsegay took over at 1200m and at the halfway mark Muir was sitting in eighth and simply with too much left to do. The lead was still Tsegay’s at 2000m in 5:35.78 as Hull applied the pressure, with Chepkoech following closely.

However, the US indoor champion St Pierre has been in fine form this year, having only returned to the sport last September following the birth of her son almost a year ago, and surged to her first global title.

“This is amazing,” said the dairy farmer from Vermont. “It’s all I ever dreamed of. It’s been a big year for me. It’s really emotional to think of, but a year ago my son was born so to be here as a world champion, I can’t imagine it.

“I feel like a new person, a new athlete. I did worry the pace was too high in the middle, but after that I decided not to think too much about it and just go for it. I definitely didn’t know I had the gold till the finish, the last 10 metres. Then, wow!”

Kerr keeps his cool to land another world crown appeared first on AW.