The European 5,000m champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen has criticised Britain’s Josh Kerr for being one of the athletes “ruining” the sport by missing the event in Birmingham.
Ingebrigtsen, who won a brilliant gold medal in his first race after 11 months out of the sport due to an achilles injury, also told the BBC that he “could never” prioritise a time over a title.
Asked if he was disappointed Kerr, who broke the world mile record last month, is not racing in Birmingham, the Norwegian added: “Very – and I think a lot of people should be, because that is what championships are all about.
“It’s not for us as athletes to choose almost where to participate. We have these championships for a reason, and that is for the best athletes to compete – that is the whole point.
“So I definitely think it is ruining the sport if we are not participating. We all have different plans, but I could never see myself in that position.”
Kerr ran a stunning 3:42.66 to break the world mile mark at the London Diamond League in July before a dominant display to take the Commonwealth title a fortnight later. However he opted out of the European championships saying he was “flying close to the sun” of injury.
Ingebrigtsen did, however, praise Kerr’s world mile record performance as an “extremely good race” and “a very strong performance”.
But he also questioned Kerr’s explanation for his absence in Birmingham. “Everything comes down to what you want to do. People go to work every day. It is not like because you are a professional runner you can’t work every day.”
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It is not the first time Ingebrigtsen and Kerr have traded barbs. In 2023, Kerr accused Ingebrigtsen of “some flaws in the manners realm” after the Norwegian had said that he was ill when Kerr beat him to the world 1500m title.
Then in 2024, Ingebrigsten raised his eyebrows after Kerr had broken the two-mile world record. “I would have beaten him in that race, blindfolded,” the Norwegian said. “But it’s good that people run better than they have done before.”