Jake Wightman says close friend Josh Kerr would have joined him on the podium at the World Athletics Championships if not for the calf injury that wrecked his 1500m title defence in Tokyo.
Wightman, the 2022 world champion, claimed silver on Thursday after being edged out by Portugal’s Isaac Nader in a dramatic finish. But the moment was bittersweet as Olympic silver medallist Kerr, the 2023 champion pulled up on the penultimate lap and limped home last.
“Probably the saddest bit for me was I didn’t realise that was happening,” Wightman told BBC Scotland. “I sent him a message afterwards and he replied with a nice one back. It’s not nice seeing a friend in that situation. He’s a world-class athlete and that doesn’t disappear. He’s going to come back and be as good as ever.”
Kerr, 27, had kept pace in the early laps but pulled up in clear distress on the third circuit. Despite the injury, he battled through to finish in 4:11.23, a testament to his grit.
Wightman, who believes both Scots could have medalled, added: “If Josh hadn’t had that, he would have been at the front doing everything he could to win. We could easily have had two of us on the podium.”
Kerr has endured a relentless schedule since 2021, and Wightman suggested fatigue or Tokyo’s heat may have played a role. But he is confident his friend will return stronger: “It’s just a shame we didn’t have him competing at the front, because that would have made it extra special.”
