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Josh Kerr insisted the Olympic 1500 metres final fulfilled his vow to deliver a race that would “go down in generations” even after a surprise ending written by American gold medallist Cole Hocker in Olympic record time.
The penultimate event on Tuesday evening had been billed as a two-man showdown between Scotsman Kerr, the reigning world champion, and his arch-rival Jakob Ingebrigtsen, who claimed gold in Tokyo three summers ago.
The duo were neck and neck down the final stretch, but perhaps paying too close attention to one another when Hocker seized on his opportunity to surge ahead and cross the finish before either of the two heavy favourites.
“I got beaten by the better man today,” said Kerr, who smashed Mo Farah’s 11-year-old national record with a time of three minutes 27.79 seconds.
“I could feel (Hocker) coming and I kept getting pushed out, so there was nothing I could do to close that door.
“Obviously I wanted that gold, that’s not something that I was able to shy away from. I’m proud of the way I executed today. It was not a slow race. I think that record will stay for a very long time.
“We had a lot of storylines this year, back and forth with me and Jakob and things like that, but I knew that there was going to be threats coming from the Americans and Cole put together a performance that is the best the Olympics has ever seen.
“It’s the fastest I’ve ever ran, it’s the best 1500m performance that I could ask for. I told you guys we were going to put a 1500 on that would hopefully go down in generations, and I think we did that.”
Ingebrigtsen ultimately finished fourth, with the United States Yared Nuguse claiming bronze. Kerr’s fellow Scotsman Neil Gourley finished 10th.
The storyline that began after Kerr pipped Ingebrigtsen to the world title in 2023 now looks set for a longer arc, one that might cap off at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.
The two have frequently traded jibes, the Norwegian before these games claiming Kerr “is known as the Brit who never competes”.
Kerr said of the narrative: “The storyline is going to continue. I’m sure comments will be made over the next couple of days and all this stuff.
“We’re only getting to do this every four years. I wanted to come away top of the world. I wasn’t able to do that but I have two medals to show for it.
“I’m consistently showing up at these championships and putting together performances I can be proud of and that’s the best I’ve got.”
Dina Asher-Smith was just two one hundredths of a second shy of claiming her first individual Olympic medal in a women’s 200 metres final won by American Gabby Thomas.
The 28-year-old Londoner was pipped to the finish by Thomas’ team-mate Brittany Brown in 22.20, while Asher-Smith’s training partner Julien Alfred added silver to her 100 metres gold.
Daryll Neita finished one hundredth further back in 22.23 seconds.
Neita and Asher-Smith collected women’s 4x100m relay bronze at both the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Games and will look to upgrade that colour.
Asher-Smith, who was devastated after missing out on the 100 metres final, said: “I actually really enjoyed it. The crowd was amazing, the track was amazing and I just got told ‘when the gun goes, just run and whatever happens, happens’. It’s not many times you get told that instruction. I enjoyed it.
“I’m still disappointed for the 100 but overall I’m happy because I’ve known I’ve been in a great place for this whole season. I’m really excited for the relay, I think it’s going to be a fun couple of days.”
Neita told the BBC: “It has been a fantastic Olympic Games for me – a double finalist, a fourth place in the 100m. I know my time is coming.”
Matthew Hudson-Smith booked his place in the men’s 400m final but Charlie Dobson was unable to progress from the first semi-final.
Lizzie Bird smashed her own British record to 9:04.35 in the women’s 3000 metres steeplechase final for a seventh-place finish, the best ever placing for a British woman, with Jacob Fincham-Dukes fifth in the men’s long jump.
Lina Nielsen’s Olympics came to a heart-breaking end after falling at the final hurdle in her 400 metres hurdles semi-final, while Jessie Knight also bowed out with a sixth-place finish.