The British runner retains the title in style, ahead of Cole Hawker of the USA and Ian Shroub of France, as Italy’s Nadia Battocletti claims the women’s 3000m crown.
The last time we saw Josh Kerr in a world final, he came home with an injured calf in the world final 1500m in Tokyo. The 28-year-old licked his wounds, returned to training with venom and was out again on Saturday (March 21) in Torun with a dominant 3000m victory over 1500m Olympic and 5000m world champion Cole Hawker of the USA.
Carey never lacks confidence and insisted that this title was his to lose. Not for the first time, he delivered on his promise and delivered a tactical masterclass, although he later disagreed, to beat a world-class team in what many considered to be the world’s indoor championships race.
Hawker kept his pace in the early stages until Adisu Yihune moved into the lead, the Ethiopian seemingly taking the lead in place of team-mate Getnet Wale.
Kerr gradually moved up throughout the race, however, hitting the front shortly after the bell as Hawker was sixth.
As Kerr raced to 7:35.56, fast finisher Hawker finished second in 7:35.70 with France’s Jan Shroub third in 7:35.71.
Kenya’s Jacob Kropp was fourth in 7:36.76 and Jared Nugus (USA) fifth in 7:37.08 after trailing the two Ethiopians for most of the final stages.
Nick Griggs was 9th in 7:39.03, a few places ahead of Ireland’s Andrew Coskoran. There was also no ending to Geordie Beamish’s “textbook George”. the normally fast-finishing New Zealander never looked comfortable as he drifted behind the leading pack to finish 14th.
“I knew I had to get it right the last few laps or I was going to have some tough conversations with my coach,” said Kerr, who ran his second 1,500m in 3:39.3. “I was too fit to get into this.”
Carey, however, didn’t think he had a perfect race. “This race didn’t go the way I wanted, but racing is about the situations you put yourself in,” he said. “I shouldn’t worry too much about mistakes in the race, although there were a lot of them today, I didn’t have time to think about them, I had to push, I wanted this gold medal so much.
“I got a little in over my head when it came to trying to save energy. But it was a world-class field, so it wasn’t easy. I also thought I went a bit early, but luckily I had some juice in me.”
He was clearly enjoying the win though as he celebrated with a big smile and a finger in the air. “From where we were in Tokyo to having another world medal, it’s down to coaching, my physio and mum. That’s a family win right there.”
Hawker said: “It was a tactical championship race. It’s a little disappointing for me not to get the gold. Getting a medal is always incredible and I’m proud of it, but you have to shoot for the stars.”
“It’s my 30th birthday and I couldn’t have gotten a better present. Just 20 days ago I wasn’t even going to run here, but then I set the European 10km record so I thought I was in great shape and decided to give it a go.”
Moments earlier, Nadia Battocletti was the fastest and strongest in the women’s 3000m, winning gold in 8:57.64 ahead of Emily Mackay of the USA and Australia’s Jess Hull.
The Italian has been a revelation in recent years, winning European gold in the 5,000m and 10,000m on home soil in Rome 2024, before claiming Olympic 10,000m silver in Paris and two minor medals in the 5,000m and 10,000m at last year’s World Championships in Tokyo.
Here he won his first global title with a brilliant finish, although he was fortunate that one of his biggest rivals, Freweini Hailu of Ethiopia, fell mid-race. Keeping her cool, Hailu got back into contention but finished sixth in a messy race that included a pedestrian first kilometer in 3:15 (9:45 pace).
Battocletti took the lead with 700 meters to go and started to make it through, but Hull got past him with 300 meters to go, only for Battocletti to make a decisive attack just before the final bend.
Mackay then edged past Hull by six-hundredths of a second in 8:58.12 to pip the Australian for silver.
25-year-old Battokleti says: “I didn’t expect this result and this way, I surprised myself especially because I finished Ramadan just two days ago and I also finished my exams recently, so it was a difficult time for me. I knew I was in good shape, but I was still surprised when I crossed the finish line. I did a super fast finish that I really didn’t train for, even after the lunge.”
Britain’s Katie Snowden and Hannah Nuttall finished ninth and tenth in 9:03.79 and 9:04.20.
