Glasgow key for Kerr as focus turns to World Indoors

Josh Kerr says while his focus is on this week’s World Indoor Championships in Poland, “the priority” is this summer’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

The 28-year-old middle distance runner will take to the track in Torun aiming to reclaim the 3,000m title he won in his Scottish homeland two years ago.

“For me, the World Indoors right now is where my head is at,” said the Olympic silver and bronze medallist.

“You normally need to revolve it around one [event] and then see if the other one is possible.

“For me, the priority is the Commonwealth Games, the outdoor season, and then if the body is ready to run the Europeans [in August].

“The odds are that between everything with the World Indoors and the World Athletics Ultimate Championships [in September] it is just a lot of running so we will figure it out, I will never say no to things right now but that is my priority list as it stands.”

Kerr would love to add a Commonwealth gold to his Olympic medals and his world and world indoor golds.

“What else would you want from a season really, every four years, in Scotland in front of a home crowd, going after a gold medal in the mile distance as well, that is why it is a massive priority in the season,” he explained.

“That is what I grew up thinking about, for me that is what my family spoke about, it is how we were when we were getting our first Scotland vests in cross country and on the track and on the road.

“That is what we always used to discuss when we were sitting on the bus going to these championships. ‘Who is going to the Commonwealth Games? What is everyone’s goals for the Commonwealth Games?’

“And to know that it is in Scotland, it is just pretty special so why would I give up that opportunity for something else? When you look back on your career these are the kind of moments that you are like, ‘that was awesome, that was a huge moment’ regardless of the result, you have got to enjoy it.”

Kerr expects his ambition to be matched by his fellow Scottish runners.

“I haven’t pulled on the Scotland vest since the Commonwealth Games in 2022,” he explained. “It is not something that happens really often.

“I know it will be a priority for Jake Wightman, I know it is a priority for Neil Gourley – that is who they are, it is who I am and that is the system we grew up in so I think all of us just have that ingrained in us.”

US-based Kerr’s last major outing ended in disappointment in Japan with a pulled calf muscle resulting in him finishing a distant last in the 1500m final at the World Championships in September.

Despite having limited race time since then, Kerr believes he is in good shape for 2026.

“Chatting about going after a world indoor title not that many months afterwards is a very proud moment for me and my team,” he added.

“To be honest, I am as fit or fitter than I have been in an indoor season in the past.

“Indoors is an odd time of year for athletes – some people do it, some people don’t and I like to do it normally but I am very proud of the position I am in.