Brooks Beasts' Josh Kerr wins world 1500m title, while Katie Moon shares pole vault crown...
BUDAPEST, Hungary--In perhaps one of the most epic races of these world championships so far at the National Athletics Centre, Josh Kerr (Paul Merca photo) of the Seattle based Brooks Beasts and Great Britain dueled favored Jakob Ingebrigtsen over the last 200 meters before pulling away to win the featured men's 1500 meter run at the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23 Wednesday night.
After the semifinals on Sunday, Kerr told reporters that one of the goals going into the championships was "to make sure that the championship stays in Great Britain".
He also said that he felt that he was in the best shape of his life, but at the same time felt that no one believed him.
Kenya's Abel Kipsang led the field through the first 400 in an honest 56.01 with Ingebrigtsen near him, and Kerr in the middle of the pack.
Despite leading Ingebrigtsen through 800 at 1:54.19, the crowd sensed that sooner or later, the Norwegian would charge to the front and make the run for home.
With 600 t0 go, the reigning Olympic champion went to the front, and with that Kerr decided to follow him.
With 200 to go, Kerr got to the front for the first time, but the Norwegian regained the lead entering the home stretch.
Kerr outsprinted Ingebrigtsen to take the win in a season best 3:29.38, with Ingenbrigtsen second at 3:29.65, and fellow Norwegian Narve Gilje Nordas third in 3:29.68.
With the win, Kerr added a world championship to his Olympic bronze medal from Tokyo. He's guaranteed a spot on the line in the Japanese city when the world championships come in 2025 as defending world champion.
Kerr said: “It has been a long time coming. It is quite an overwhelming experience but I am so proud of myself. I am so proud of my team and my family – they got me here. I didn’t feel like I ran the best race either so I just threw my whole 16 years of this sport at that last 200m and didn’t give up until the end.
“It was fast from early and I kind of got bumped back into sixth or seventh but I stayed calm and I just wanted to execute a race that I would be proud of and I knew that I was capable of a World Championship gold medal for the team so I am very proud to be able to add to that medal count today.”
Almost simultaneously, former Pullman resident Katie Moon and Australia's Nina Kennedy were locked in an epic battle in the women's pole vault.
Both cleared their opening height of 14-9 (4.50m) and 15-3 (4.65m) on their first attempts.
Moon then passed the next height of 15-7 (4.75m), which Kennedy made on her second attempt.
With five women remaining at 15-9 (4.80m), Kennedy, Finland's Wilma Murto and Slovenia's Tina Sutej all made on their first attempts, with Moon needing two tries to advance.
Kennedy and Moon then made 15-11 (4.85m) on their first tries, before making a world leading 16-0.75 (4.90m) on their third try.
After each missed three times at 16-2.75 (4.95m), the two jumpers decided to share the world title as they had identical sheets except for the two tries Moon needed at 15-9, and Kennedy at 15-7.
Finland's Wilma Murto, the reigning European champ was third at 15-9 (4.80m).
Incoming Washington freshman and reigning world U20 champ Hana Moll from Capital HS finished ninth with a best of 14-9 (4.50m).
Thursday's action will see only one athlete with Washington ties, as Ireland's Brian Fay, a recent graduate of the University of Washington, goes in the first round of the men's 5000 meters at 7 pm local time (10 am Pacific).
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NOTE: World Athletics, the WABudapest 23 Organizing Committee, British Athletics, and USA Track & Field contributed to this report.
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