Great Britain’s Josh Kerr avenged his Olympic 1500m defeat by Cole Hocker in a thrilling race at the Grand Slam Track meet, marking a significant moment in his 2025 season. Kerr, who had finished second to Hocker in the 2024 Paris Olympics in a memorable race, turned the tables with a spectacular finish to clinch victory by just 0.07 seconds. He crossed the line in a season-best time of 3 minutes 34.44 seconds, demonstrating his resilience and tactical prowess in middle-distance running.
The race was a highly anticipated rematch of the Olympic final, where Hocker had stunned the athletics world by winning gold with an Olympic record time of 3:27.65, narrowly beating Kerr who took silver. At the Grand Slam Track meet, Kerr surged in the final meters, overtaking Hocker and other top competitors like Yared Nuguse and Marco Arop, to secure the win. This victory not only avenged his Olympic loss but also solidified Kerr’s status as one of the premier 1500m runners of his generation.
Kerr’s performance came after a fifth-place finish in the 800m event at the same meet, where he narrowly missed out on the $100,000 prize for the short-distance category by just one point, losing to Canada’s Marco Arop. Despite this, Kerr’s overall showing was impressive and highlighted his versatility and competitive spirit across middle-distance events.
Other notable performances at the Grand Slam Track meet and related Diamond League events included British sprinter Daryll Hunt, who finished second in the 200m at the Paris Diamond League. Hunt’s strong showing added to Great Britain’s growing presence in sprint events on the international stage.
Additionally, British athlete Burgin set a personal best at the Diamond League meet in Rabat, further showcasing the depth of British talent in athletics. These performances indicate a promising season ahead for British athletes across various disciplines.
The Grand Slam Track series, created by Michael Johnson, aims to bring together the world’s fastest athletes in a competitive and lucrative circuit. Kerr’s victory in the 1500m is a highlight of this new competition format, which includes multiple events culminating in a final meet in Los Angeles later in June 2025.
In summary,
Josh Kerr’s thrilling win over Olympic champion Cole Hocker at the Grand Slam Track meet marks a significant comeback and a statement of intent for the British middle-distance star. Alongside other strong performances by British athletes like Hunt and Burgin, the season is shaping up to be exciting for Great Britain in the world of athletics