Tokyo drama: Jake lands superb silver after injury-hit years with Neil tenth and Josh hurt

Wednesday 17th September 2025

Photos by Gary Mitchell in Tokyo

By Peter Jardine, Head of Communications

Jake Wightman had spoken about simply being on the start line at the World Champs being his ‘redemption’ – after a couple of tough injury-hit years.

But his Tokyo experience delivered a whole lot more with a stunning silver medal performance in the Men’s 1500m final.

The Scot was so close to repeating his 2022 success in America but Portuguese athlete Isaac Nader just passed him before the finish line to win in 3:34.10.

Jake clocked 3:34.12 to miss out on victory by just two hundredths of a second in a final – which saw Neil Gourley finish in tenth place – replete with drama to add to spectacular heats and semis.

Unfortunately this time that centred on Josh Kerr with the defending champion hurt after around 900m of the race – either spiked or a calf problem – and limped home in 14th place in what had unfolded as a slow race.

Nonetheless, it was a remarkable effort to have all three Scots competing in a global final and the story caught attention around the world via social media interest.

Six years earlier all three made the 1500m final at the World Champs in Doha and then did so again at the last Commonwealth Games when representing Team Scotland at Birmingham 2022.

In all, 14 men lined up after a couple of reinstatements following drama in the semi-finals on Monday.

Photos by Gary Mitchell

‘The only way I could have topped that is with a win, but there is nothing else I could have done,’ said Jake.

‘I literally did everything I possibly could. The same story every year in the 1500m, whoever goes in as the favourite always seems to have a bit too much of a target.

‘I don’t think one person would have expected Nader to win that. Even myself coming into the home straight, I felt good and I thought I had written my own perfect fairytale and when I look back on this I never would have expected this at the start of the season and how I was performing in July and August would have come away with anything from these champs.

‘It comes and goes in such a whirlwind. I knew there was an opportunity to get a medal, I felt there was an opportunity to win it and I came close.

‘Last couple of years have been pretty grim, I think it will be the next few hours I realise how bigger deal it is to come back over these problems I have had, as it was bleak. But in my mind I always believed I could come back and do this. At the moment, I am like, yeah, I still can do it.’

Photo by Sam Mellish

Neil Gourley clocked 3:35.56 for a top ten placing in a year in which he won silver at the World Indoors.

‘I am absolutely shattered to be honest, a little disappointed but still grateful to have been a part of that,’ said the Giffnock North AC athlete.

‘I knew it wouldn’t be hard from the gun; it caught me a little off guard when Tim pressed a little bit from about 800 out. I was looking to make my move about 700 out, so that ruined that plan, but sometimes that is just how it is.

‘I found myself playing catch-up. I was still in an ok spot, but I just didn’t close as well as I hoped.

‘For a long time I have been tight with Jake; he is such a great guy and deserves it after the last couple years he has had.

‘I am not one to say the sport owes you one in particular but Jake has had a real tough time of it and I have seen how long it has been for him so this will be a high for him.

‘I hope that he feels that way, I know he was close to winning but I hope he realises how huge achievement that was after the last couple of years where it just wasn’t happening for him.’

Tags: Jake Wightman, Josh Kerr, Neil Gourley, Tokyo, World Champs