Kerr Finishes Despite Injury as Wightman Expresses Concern at World Athletics Championships
TOKYO – Josh Kerr demonstrated remarkable fortitude by completing the men’s 1500m final at the world athletics Championships despite suffering a visible muscle injury during the race. Fellow competitor Jake Wightman praised Kerr’s bravery, noting the challenging conditions contributed to a heightened risk of muscle issues.
The incident occurred during a race already marked by intense heat, the warmest experienced by athletes during warm-ups at these championships.Wightman, speaking to BBC Breakfast, explained the conditions, stating, “Yesterday was really hot, the hottest we’ve had to warm up in. Even warming up I could feel my hamstrings twitching, which is a sign you are losing too much salt and sweating a lot.” The injury casts a shadow over Kerr’s performance and raises questions about his recovery ahead of future competitions.
Wightman expressed sadness at seeing Kerr hampered, saying, “It was sad to see. I think commend him for finishing, that was pretty brave when you’re that badly hurt.” He added, observing Kerr’s visible discomfort, “I could hear during the race my dad on the stadium proclamation system saying about it, but it’s only in clips back I see how badly he was limping. Sad to see, you want to see competitors and teammates performing to the best of their ability.”
Despite the setback, Wightman remains optimistic about Kerr’s future. “I woudl have loved to have seen him at the front having a real battle to try and win it. You know with someone like him who’s such a class act, these next couple years he will be right back up there again. I hope he recovers quickly.”
The World Athletics Championships 2025 will continue in Tokyo, with athletes facing ongoing challenges from the heat and the pressure of competition as they vie for medals and championship titles. Updates on Kerr’s condition and his potential participation in future events are expected in the coming days.
