‘I want to get what I deserve in LA’ – Kerr eyes gold in 2028

Josh Kerr says the prospect of winning 1500m gold in a Hollywood ending in Los Angeles to complete the full set of Olympic medals will motivate him for the next four years.

The 26-year-old has become the first Scottish athlete to win track medals at successive Games, running a personal best to take silver in Paris on Tuesday after claiming bronze in Tokyo three years ago.

The Edinburgh athlete had spoken long and loud about how he was coming to France for gold.

But, as he and great rival Jakob Ingebrigtsen were consumed in a compelling contest over three-and-three-quarter laps of the Stade de France, Cole Hocker of the United States stole in over the last few metres to win gold by 0.2 seconds.

It means Kerr must win as a 30-year-old at the 2028 Games in his adopted home of LA if he is to claim Olympic gold.

“It’s not what I wanted but the silver is something physical to show for the work I’ve put in,” he told BBC Sport Scotland.

“We were pretty close but the mind goes straight to ‘OK, the storyline of bronze, silver, gold over a 12-year span is pretty cool’.

“The competitor in me is thinking straight towards that. But the human inside me thinks I put together the best race I’ve ever run and walked away with an Olympic silver medal, which is pretty cool.”

Were it not for Hocker, Kerr’s time would have been the fastest in Olympic history. He sliced more than a second off his personal best and snatched Mo Farah’s British record over the distance.

Viewed through that prism, the Scot could take satisfaction as he savoured “a couple of pints” with his family post-race, before being up after “about 20 minutes’ sleep” to do the rounds with the media.

“Putting a plan together 12 hours after an Olympic final is difficult, but I know I can get to the top of the sport and I want to do that,” he added.

“I’m world champion so I know I’m good enough but yesterday was not my day. Maybe in four years’ time it will be.

“What I love about sport is knowing there are no guarantees, and I’m so glad I was able to bring back a medal, even if it’s not the colour I want. Now I want to go through the journey again and get what I think I deserve in LA.”