Josh Kerr - wanker or wonder?

[NigelHarmansNewWife]

Not long to go for the men's 1500m Olympic final. Kerr is not short of self-confidence.

So? He's a runner. That's why he's at the Olympics.

Seriously… I was answering the sodding question in the title. I don’t give a crap either way I don’t have to live with him but it’s literally what OP asked ffs

I thought it was a really exciting race, and despite not winning a medal Jakob ingebrigsten paced them all for an Olympic record, National record (and PB) for Josh Kerr.

Keely Hodgkinson also said she was going for gold, and the BBC were hyping her up like nobody's business but there wasn't a similar thread about her ....?

You’ve got to believe in yourself and be confident, that’s how he races best.
He won a Silver and British record, let’s see all us do that from our sofas! No pleasing some people 🤷🏼‍♀️

I have not seen anybody come across the way he did pre race. He basically said ‘I’ve won’ and I get confidence but others have come across with a lot more humility despite the expectation such as KH, AP. The heavy promotion by BBC didn’t help. The commentators didn’t seem to know what to say really when it didn’t go to plan.

This is very unfair. All the reports I've ever seen say Ingerbrigtsen started it with things he said about Kerr.

Have you not seen Noah Lyles?

Kerr wrecked his head. That was brain dead running from Ingebrigsten.

That he didnt win a medal is unthinkable. I didn't see the race live but when I looked at the results and saw 1,2,3 I thought he must have fell or failed to start.

I thought it was refreshing to hear one of our athletes be confident about winning gold, didn’t win today, but maybe in four years time.

Well done Josh Kerr! Was an exciting race, yes if Ingrebritson hadn't moved over in the lane to force Josh more outside, the American Hocker wouldn't have been able to come through on the inside. Think the Norwegian might be kicking himself a wee bit,or maybe not!

Fantastic race! Who would’ve predicted Hocker coming through on the inside to win like that? Josh Kerr took it really well I thought and seemed really pleased with a NR, PB and silver. Well done him 👏

Google it.

It seems it's ok for Keely to say it but not Josh Kerr 🙄

They didn't say the same thing in the same way though. He's not unlikeable - if you big yourself up like he did it's how you deal with not achieving what you set out to that shows resilience and what you're really made of. He came across better after the race. He had something to smile about with a silver medal and his fastest time ever.

The psychology of all of this is really interesting. I read the article linked to upthread and another about his lazer focus.

I don’t think Keely and Josh come across in the same way at all! Keely has self belief and confidence (which is needed at her elite level!) without tipping over into arrogance. Josh just oozes arrogance.

Watch the Channel 4 documentary ‘Path to Paris’, which follows Keely Hodgkinson, Morgan Lake, Josh Kerr and Jake Wightman during their training in the run up to Paris. Interestingly, both Josh and Jake have won world 1500m titles, however the difference between the two was astounding - Jake couldn’t come across as a nicer, more down to earth guy (sadly now injured and can’t compete). Josh not only repeatedly bigged up himself, but also tried to put down competitors.

Having said all that, all the talk between Jakob and Josh has made for such an exciting event to watch!

It's brilliant to be in an age where British athletes believe that they can win and bring home a stack of medals. In the 90s we had a very limited number of top class athletes in a limited range of events. The Olympics were considerably duller and more predictable than today.

So much was put into athlete psychology, and creating "Team GB" in the years leading up to London 2012, and that legacy of believing that British athletes continues. Younger British athletes have now grown up in a culture of sucess and confidence with role models. As a teenager, I grew up in a professional sporting world of Britain being somewhat of an embarassement with no hope, and don't start me on the PE teaching...

Kerr's job is to perform well and he did. Ingebrigsten made his race harder for pushing wide which cost them Hocker slipping through. From the outside pushing past Ingebristen meant Kerr had no opportunity to control Hocker, and that's on Ingebristen getting fixated not Kerr's strategy. Silver was always a realistic outcome, but psychologically it's always better to aim for gold.

Kerr did his job of racing 1500m at the top of his game. His job isn't to win Nice Guy of the Year, whether it's bravado, a specific feud or actual personality.

Does being an Olympic runner equate to being an arrogant prat? I don't think so. Keely proves that point. Confident yes but definitely not arrogant. There is a big difference.

Absolutely, and long my team GB continue with this philosophy. I remember reading about a sport coach who switched to 🇺🇸 because they had a can do attitude, where as here they didn’t have the same beliefs.

I think sometimes we can be a bit pansyish in sport, ooo I'm just happy to be here. I like the ones with the driven mentality where their goal is quite clearly to win. I think to be the best you do need that and that self belief.

Yes it's not like we have to be their best friend tbh.

I'm sure part of it is for the cameras, it's better tv and more exciting to have a rivalry, or promote something as a showdown between 2 athletes.

Both Keely Hodgkinson and Josh Kerr had done clips that were played to death for the BBC. Obviously they want to create a feel-good factor and positive aura around the athletics and big up British medal hopes, and as much as mental strength and confidence plays a huge part in sports potentially they might have been "guided" or advised to what to include!

Years ago we had this “plucky Brit” attitude. We had some glorious gold medals of course but only 9 women before Keely! Thats pretty poor for athletics. I’m pleased we are now more steely. The tactics by Ingebritsen left a gap on the inside. USA winner slipped through and ran faster than he’s ever done before. That wasn’t thought about before the race where it was a Kerr/Ingrbritsen face off. It’s a long standing rivalry,

Although he’s a great longer distance runner, he won a gold medal at 1500m at the Tokyo Olympics. He’s didn’t win the 5000m. He comes from a family of hugely talented runners who were trained by their dad.

It is interesting. The BBC have been showing a documentary on Daley Thompson and when he was going for his second Olympic gold medal he was in a similar rivalry with a German who was the favourite going in having broken the world record a couple of times in the lead up to the games. Daily basically psyched him out so he underperformed on his best disciplines and went on to win gold medal. It was fascinating.

Does anyone remember the 118 118 guy? I mean I don't remember him exactly as I wasn't born when he was racing, but I've read about him telling everyone to watch him win the gold medal in two events and a Finnish guy beat him both races and made him look rather foolish.