Jakob Ingebrigtsen Says World-Record Holder Josh Kerr Is ‘Ruining the Sport’ by Skipping Major Races

Josh Kerr can break a 27-year-old mile world record and still catch heat from Jakob Ingebrigtsen.The latest chapter in their long-running rivalry came after Ingebrigtsen made his own return to racing this week at the European Championships in Birmingham. After 11 months away from competition and surgery on his Achilles, the Norwegian won the 5,000 meters in 13:15.29, earning his seventh European Championship gold medal.Kerr wasn’t there, nor did he ever plan to be. The European Championships were never a part of the Scot’s season plans, even after a huge summer that included a 3:42.66 mile world record at the London Diamond League in July and Commonwealth gold in Glasgow.That decision didn’t exactly sit well with Ingebrigtsen.Asked by BBC Sport if he was disappointed not to see Kerr racing in Birmingham, Ingebrigtsen replied, “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,” he continued. “We have these championships for a reason, and that is for the best athletes to compete—that is the whole point.”Ingebrigtsen went further, arguing that athletes skipping major championships can hurt the sport.“So I definitely think it is ruining the sport if we are not participating,” he told BBC Sport. “We all have different plans, but I could never see myself in that position.”His criticism didn’t extend to Kerr’s world record itself, as Ingebrigtsen called the performance an “extremely good race” and “a very strong performance.” However, he still pushed back on the idea that athletes need to choose between chasing fast times and competing for titles.“Of course I am going to go for times, but I don’t think you have to do one or the other,” he said.If any of this sounds familiar, it should. Kerr and Ingebrigtsen have spent years trading jabs alongside races, most notably before the 2024 Paris Olympics when Ingebrigtsen said he could beat Kerr “blindfolded” when fully fit, while Kerr previously accused him of having “flaws on the track and in the manners realm.” Their much-hyped Olympic showdown ultimately ended with neither man winning gold, as American Cole Hocker took the title ahead of Kerr in second and Ingebrigtsen in fourth.Ingebrigtsen’s injury might’ve kept the two from sharing much of a stage recently, but it only took his first race back to give their rivalry something new to argue about.Sean Abrams was the Senior Editor, Growth and Engagement at Men’s Health. He’s a former hip hop dancer who likes long walks on the beach and large glasses of tequila. You can find his previous work at Maxim, Elite Daily, and AskMen.