Jakob were you watching?
Scotland’s Josh Kerr took the lead from Olympic 10,000m champion Selemon Barega with 100m to go and powered away to the 3000m World Indoor title in 7:42.98 as American Yared Nuguse got his first global medal by outleaning Barega for silver in 7:43.59, as Barega got bronze.
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It was the second straight global title for Kerr, who won the world outdoor title last year at 1500m.
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Glasgow gets its moment! 🏴 🇬🇧
On home soil, Josh Kerr captures the first world title for Great Britain in the men’s 3000m with a time of 7:42.98. #WorldIndoorChamps pic.twitter.com/0Q6QL6ulZf
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) March 2, 2024
How it Played Out
Running before the hometown crowd as the favorite, Kerr was content to bid his time in the middle to back of the pack early on, as the pace was not fast (1600 in 4:14.24).
Getnet Wale led most of the early half of the second mile, and Kerr made sure he was off Wale’s shoulder with 800m to go. But there was a lot of guys with the run left in them the final 800m. Barega seized the lead with 300m to go, but did not hammer the pace for home, and American Olin Hacker surprisingly made a bid for the lead down the homestretch heading to the bell. That prompted Kerr to go wide and pass Hacker to be even with Barega, but on his outside at the bell.
Kerr did not tuck in around the first turn and seized the lead before the final turn and would not give it up as he dominated the final 100m. He pointed as his ear at the finish as if to say, “Do you hear me?”
Nuguse who was 5th at the bell moved up well to just outlean Barega for silver.
Results and interviews below.
Results Men’s 3000m 2024 World Indoors
| POS | COUNTRY | ATHLETE | MARK |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GBR | Josh Kerr | 7:42.98 |
| 2 | USA | Yared Nuguse | 7:43.59 SB |
| 3 | ETH | Selemon Barega | 7:43.64 |
| 4 | ETH | Getnet Wale | 7:44.77 |
| 5 | USA | Olin Hacker | 7:45.40 SB |
| 6 | ESP | Adel Mechaal | 7:45.67 |
| 7 | ITA | Pietro Arese | 7:46.46 |
| 8 | BEL | John Heymans | 7:48.18 |
| 9 | DJI | Mohamed Ismail | 7:50.05 PB |
| 10 | MAR | Hicham Akankam | 7:55.04 |
| 11 | ITA | Federico Riva | 8:02.66 |
| 12 | AFG | Mohammad Karim Yaqoot | 9:37.10 SB |
Flash recap and more coming from Glasgow.