Daijiworld Media Network - Torun
Torun, Mar 22: Britain’s Josh Kerr produced a brilliant performance to win the men’s 3,000m title at the World Indoor Championships, before adding drama with a cheeky ‘night night’ celebration aimed at American rival Cole Hocker.
After crossing the finish line, Kerr mimicked the famous celebration popularised by Stephen Curry, symbolically suggesting he had “put his opponent to sleep.” The gesture came as payback after Hocker used the same celebration following his win over Kerr at last month’s Millrose Games.
“I just thought, let him know that was a huge motivational thing for me,” Kerr said, calling the victory more significant than his earlier defeat.
The race, featuring top middle-distance runners, saw Ethiopia’s Addisu Yihune and Getnet Wale set the pace early, with Hocker and Yared Nuguse close behind, while Kerr stayed back in sixth position.
Kerr made his decisive move on the penultimate lap as the leaders began to tire, surging ahead while Hocker found himself briefly boxed in. Though the American closed the gap in the final stretch, Kerr held on to win in 7:35.56.
“It’s a game of chess. You have to play your hand confidently and not give an inch,” Kerr said after reclaiming the world indoor title he previously won in 2024.
Hocker finished second, 0.24 seconds behind, while France’s Yann Schrub took bronze.
The victory marked a strong comeback for Kerr, who had been forced out of the 1500m world championships final in Tokyo last year due to a calf injury. He credited his coach and his mother, a physiotherapist, for helping him return to peak condition.
Elsewhere, Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith narrowly missed out on a medal in the women’s 60m, finishing seventh as Italy’s Zaynab Dosso clinched gold.
In other events, Switzerland’s Simon Ehammer set a new world record in the heptathlon with 6,670 points, while Sweden’s Armand Duplantis won the pole vault with a 6.25m clearance.
Canada’s Christopher Morales Williams broke the championship record in the men’s 400m, and Czech athlete Lurdes Gloria Manuel claimed gold in the women’s event.