Jakob Ingebrigtsen hits back at Josh Kerr's 'deer on ice' jibe, with Norwegian declining Grand Slam Track invitation

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The long-running feud between Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Josh Kerr shows no signs of slowing as the pair start the New Year by trading blows. Kerr said that Ingebrigtsen's decision not to partake in Michael Johnson's Grand Slam Track in 2025 was a "smart" move as it would have been "hilarious" to watch the Norwegian race over 800m. Ingebrigtsen hit back at Kerr in an interview with Norway's TV2.

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Video credit: TNT Sports

Jakob Ingebrigtsen has hit back at Josh Kerr’s suggestion that the Norwegian running the 800m would be like watching "a deer on ice".

Previewing his 2025 season, the British two-time Olympic medallist was discussing his participation in Michael Johnson’s Grand Slam Track, a series of meets making its debut in 2025.

Kerr has a long-running feud with Ingebrigtsen, who decided not to compete in Johnson’s event, and kicked off the New Year with fresh barbs aimed squarely at the 24-year-old.

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In an interview with Citius Magazine podcast, Kerr said it would be "hilarious" to see Ingebrigtsen run the non-paced races in the United States.

"This is the future of track and field," said Kerr. "It’s just a fact. I think it's smart that he didn't sign up, to be honest.

"In any non-paced race, he hasn't won in the last couple of years and so you're going to throw him in a bunch of non-paced races? It seems silly, to do that. It's going expose most of his tactical stuff.

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Video credit: TNT Sports

"And if he was in the 800-1500 group, watching him run the 800 would be a lot like a deer on ice. I just don’t think so. I think he would come in and run the 3k and 5k.

"Would I come in and run the 3k and 5k? Not too sure about that one, but I will probably go up at some point, maybe not this year. I have been given the option.

"Yeah, I'd love for him to come and run the 800m and 1500m. I think it would be hilarious."

Ingebrigtsen was not taking the off-season lying down either, winning European Cross Country gold in early December.

The two-time Olympic gold medallist over 1500m and 5000m took the opportunity to take a veiled swipe at his rival, who chose not to participate.

"If you don’t feel like you can perform, you won’t do it," Ingebrigtsen said. "The people that aren’t here are most likely not able to perform in different races."

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And in response to Kerr’s latest jibe, Ingebrigtsen said he would only take him seriously once he breaks a world record.

Ingebrigtsen told Norway’s TV2: "The day he contributes to the race for world records, I will take him seriously. But only then."

Ingebrigtsen has broken three world records in his career, over 2000m, 3000m and indoor 1500m, while Kerr can only count a world best among his accolades, in the indoor two miles.

The Norwegian explained that their rivalry was not manufactured by the media, but was a result of Kerr’s "cowardly" trash talk.

"What's funny is that he [Josh Kerr] never said anything to me. So, if you smile and say hello politely and then you go to your friend's podcast and trash talk that's really cowardly," said Ingebrigtsen in his Amazon documentary – Ingebrigtsen: Born to Run.

"The problem with the rivalry is that it's not created by the media. It's only created by that moron because he began trash-talking me.

"But he's forgotten that he doesn't stand for anything he says. That says a lot about someone."

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