Brilliant and resilient: Scottish grit has made Josh one of our very best – Liz McColgan

Thursday 2nd April 2026

By Peter Jardine

Josh reclaims World Indoor 3000m title and wins third global gold

Liz McColgan believes true Scottish grit has helped Josh Kerr to scale the summit of global athletics.

The middle distance runner, who came through the Scottish club pathway with Edinburgh AC, recently reclaimed the Men’s 3000m title at the World Indoors in Poland.

That made it three global titles for Josh who also won 1500m bronze at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and then took silver in the same event at the Paris Olympics in 2024.

Without question, the 28-year-old is now bracketed with Scotland’s most famous track and field athletes alongside the likes of Eric Liddell, Yvonne Murray, Allan Wells, Jake Wightman, Eilidh Doyle, Laura Muir – and, of course, Liz McColgan herself.

Victory in Poland came after injury agony in the World Champs in Tokyo last September when he limped home last in the Men’s 1500m final and there were previous disappointments like the summer of 2022 when the World Champs and Commonwealth Games did not go as Josh had hoped.

But Josh has proved to be as resilient as he is brilliant.

Photo by Bobby Gavin

Josh to target World Record in mile at London race – BBC report

‘I’m a huge admirer of Josh and what he is achieving in our sport,’ said Liz.

‘Josh has shown remarkable resilience throughout his career, overcoming injury and disappointment with true Scottish grit – qualities I feel that define champions.

‘Since bursting onto the Scottish athletics scene in 2015 with gold at the European Junior Championships, he has grown and developed into one of Scotland’s greatest-ever athletes.

‘He won Olympic bronze in the 1500m at the Tokyo Olympics and followed that with a silver medal at the next Olympics in Paris. I am not sure people are appreciating how hard that is to do.

‘Add to that his World Champs title over 1500m in 2023 (outdoors) and World Indoors 3000m titles in 2024 in Glasgow and again this year in Torun and it’s clear he continues to raise the bar for Scots at the top of their sport.’

Josh celebrates gold in Torun (photo by Sam Mellish/British Athletics)

Josh journey: From London Mini Marathon to three global titles

Before and after his gold in Poland, Josh has spoken passionately about his Commonwealth Games hopes for this summer in a Team Scotland vest.

Josh missed the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast in Australia and four years later, after a bout of Covid, he was sixth in the 1500m final in Birmingham.

Liz of course won gold at the Commonwealths twice for Scotland with her 10,000m success at Edinburgh 1986 a big breakthrough moment in a stellar career.

‘With the Commonwealth Games on the horizon, he will be looking to harness the energy of the home crowd in Glasgow and chase that gold medal for Scotland,’ said Liz.

‘I know what that feels like. I for one cannot wait to see him race on home soil—hope you’ve all got your tickets!’

The Men’s Mile at the Commonwealth Games is on Saturday 1 August at Scotstoun.