Josh aims high; Megan picked World Unis XC; Masters World Records

Thursday 17th February 2022

World Athletics interview with Josh Kerr

Nobody will ever accuse Josh Kerr of lacking ambition.

The Olympic 1500m bronze medallist, who is based in America, is setting his sights high for a memorable 2022. And rightly so.

In an extended interview with World Athletics, the popular Scots looks ahead to the World Champs in Oregon and the Commonwealth Games.

Josh also has the British 1500m Record held by Mo Farah as a goal with his 3:29.05 second on the all-time British list (Farah at 3:28.81). In fact, Josh and Jake Wightman (3:29.47) are both above Steve Cram, Seb Coe and Steve Ovett.

‘Myself and Jake (Wightman), we’ve run faster than all those guys but they’re not known for how fast they ran, they’re known for what medals they won and what colours they are,’ said Josh.

‘We hadn’t won an Olympic medal in 33 years and hopefully we’re moving back into an era people will remember as the Kerr-Wightman era. I want to leave a stamp on the 1500 and grab that British Record as an extra. But it’s mostly about medals.’

WATCH: Josh keen to make his Commonwealth Games debut

+++

B UCS team announcement for Portugal

Scotland’s Megan Keith has been chosen to represent British Unis at the FISU World University Cross Country Champs.

The event is being held in Aveiro in Portugal on Saturday 12 March and the Edinburgh Uni Hare and Hounds/Inverness Harriers athlete earned her place after finishing third at the BUCS Champs in Middlesex earlier this month.

A total of 12 athletes have been selected, with four athletes each for the women’s individual, men’s individual and mixed relay. Megan, of course, heads to Portugal with significant international experience including that superb Euro Cross Women’s U20 title win in Dublin in December.

Mark Nixon, recently appointed as our new Endurance manager, will be part of the BUCS team staff for Portugal.

+++

Scottish Masters are ripping up the indoor tracks this winter with a series of top class performances!

Paul Forbes raced in London in midweek and came up with his latest global best by taking the M65 Indoor Mile mark down to 5:04.02.

The Record had been held by American Frank Condon at 5:11.43, with that run having been in 2008. The British Record had been at 5:17!

Edinburgh AC legend Paul set M65 World best for the 800m just before Christmas.

Paul’s run followed on from another World Record for Fiona Matheson at the 4J Masters Champs in Glasgow last Sunday. The Falkirk Victoria Harriers athlete set a new W60 best for 1500m with a run of 5:09.58.

Congratulations to both athletes and their families and clubs.