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Kerr was hobbled on the way round as he tried to retain his 1500m title before fellow Brit Wightman was heartbreakingly pipped on the line by Isaac Nader of Portugal
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Josh Kerr and Jake Wightman endured double British heartbreak in a dramatic 1500m final at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
The shock absences of Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Cole Hocker – who crashed out in the heats and were disqualified after the semi-finals, respectively – gave GB a glorious opportunity to take gold in the men’s 1500m for a third straight World Championship but it was Portugal’s Isaac Nader who ultimately prevailed after a thrilling race.
Defending champion Kerr was in the centre of the pack when he began hobbling midway through the race and although he manfully carried on, the injury clearly affected him as he trailed home more than 30 seconds behind second-last. Meanwhile, 2022 world champion Wightman kicked away down the home straight and appeared to have gold in his sights, only for Nader to pip him on the line by two-hundredths of a second.
It was ultimately an agonising silver medal for Wightman – a result he would have taken two months ago when battling injury but will have left a scar after coming so close to gold. Kenya’s Reynold Cheruiyot took bronze, while the much-fancied 20-year-old phenom Niels Laros crossed the line in fifth.
Follow all the action, results and analysis from Tokyo below:
The BBC have reported that Kerr’s injury is so severe he couldn’t walk up the stairs to speak to the media.
Greg Rutherford says on BBC comms: “Everybody suffers with injuries in their careers. Jake Wightman shows that you can come back from it and the good guys do still win medals.
“For anybody young watching this suffering with something difficult, it shows that you can push through.”
Steve Cram and Paula Radcliffe have a chat about how great Jake Wightman’s ‘racing brain’ is. Just a shame that race was comparatively slow and ended up being a sprinter’s race.
Nader was in fifth going into the final straight but just powered down it.
Neil Gourley tells BBC Sport: “That was a really tough field to be in. I had bigger goals in it.
“I wasn’t in a terrible spot with 300 metres to go. Normally I can change gears but today I felt tired. I just did not have it.
“I have exceeded expectations and had my best form when it counted. Given where I was a few weeks ago, I am proud of where I have ended up.”
Jake Wightman takes some photos with fans, smiling and celebrating, and fortunately doesn’t seem too disappointed with that silver medal as he heads off to hug friends and family. After a difficult couple of years with injuries a world medal is so brilliantly deserved.
10th for Neil Gourley, by the way.
What an incredibly dramatic race. Gutting for Jake Wightman, what a phenomenal race, to be just pipped on the line. He read that race really well, just didn’t quite have enough.
Josh Kerr limps home last.
Oh my goodness. That was a nail-biter, Wightman just pipped on the line.
Jake Wightman was getting tight at the end and Isaac Nader of Portugal nicks it on the line, in 3:34.10!
Wightman takes silver in 3:34.12. Two hundredths of a second between gold and silver. Reynold Cheruiyot takes bronze in 3:34.25.
It’s coming down to a sprint… Jake Wightman is coming to the front with 200m to go!!!
Oh my goodness, Josh Kerr is limping and hobbling, he’s still running but he’s way out the back of this field. Something has gone terribly wrong.
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