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Fans are going crazy as Josh Kerr and Jakob Ingebrigtsen headline the 2024 Prefontaine Classic. The two arch-rivals will race against each other in The Bowerman Mile scheduled for May 25.
Kerr and Ingebristien first faced off during the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, where the former secured a marginal victory in the 1500m. Later after the race, Ingebristien revealed that he had been sick while running.
A few days later, Ingebrigtsen would go on to win the 5000m final and called the 1500m world champion 'just the next guy'. However, it didn't sit well with Josh Kerr. The 26-year-old responded, as quoted by Citius Magazine:
"I still have the world championship gold medal and I'm going to be world champion for the next two years regardless of his comments."
While the two have been taking potshots at each other, they haven't faced off again since then. Ingebrigtsen pulled out of the indoor season due to an Achilles injury in January while Kerr won 3000m gold at the World Indoor Championships.
However, it's time for fireworks as the 2024 Prefontaine Classic sets up for an epic clash between these two arch-rivals. As the news spread on social media, fans are showing high excitement for the Kerr vs Ingebrigtsen showdown.
Given the words that have been exchanged over the course of months between these two, one of the users called for a boxing-like press conference for the clash.
"Need a boxing style press conference for this one where it’s just Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Josh Kerr," they wrote.
Another fan hoped to see some trash-talking before the race.
"Hoping for the trash talk before the race," they wrote.
Here are some more reactions:
Josh Kerr reflects on rivalry with Jakob Ingebrigtsen
While Josh Kerr and Jakob Ingebrigtsen have been going at each other for some time, the 2023 world champion recently called their rivalry a 'great' one. Speaking in an interview with World Athletics, Kerr said:
"What’s great is there is a rivalry. There’s a rivalry between myself, Jake, Ingebrigtsen, Yared (Nuguse), everybody."
The 26-year-old added that every one of them was going after the title which made the competition interesting.
"You never want to be involved in an era where it’s boring in the 1500m, where you know someone is going to win it," Kerr added.
Yared Nuguse, World Indoor Championship 3000m silver medalist and U.S. mile record holder will also run in the Bowerman Mile alongside Kerr and Ingebrigtsen.
