Josh Kerr goes into the 1500m occasion on the World Athletics Championships as the person to beat.
The Olympic silver medallist is the defending world champion. The Scotsman begins his marketing campaign in Tokyo with the heats on Sunday morning, earlier than the semi-finals on Monday and the ultimate on Wednesday afternoon.
“I’m very excited with the prospect of going into another World Championship,” Kerr instructed Sky Sports activities Information.
“What a privilege. What a privileged position, I’ve worked hard to get to, to be the guy with the crown and looking to defend the title,” he added. “That’s where some minds go to. For me, I may have a target on my back but I’ve got a roadmap in my pocket. That’s the way I view things.
“These championships are laborious sufficient with out giving your self some issues to start with.”
As laborious as it’s to win one World championship gold medal within the 1500m, it is even harder to win a second.
“Even in the past few years the people that have won it, they hardly come back in the final next time. It’s really hard to just stay healthy,” Kerr stated. “It is laborious. There’s plenty of variables in a 1500m race.
“You can come out on top if you just focus on your race plan,” he continued. “These fairytales have a really tough time coming to fruition. But what are you going to do today to make it happen? That’s the way that I look at my career.
“I try to not ahead suppose an excessive amount of, give attention to every day because it comes and I am stacking up some good ones proper now.
“I’ll be in a position to win these World championships from a fitness standpoint. It’s just how’s my execution going to look and that’s the fun part for me.”
Despite the fact that each have been upset by American Cole Hocker on the Olympics final yr, Kerr is anticipating to proceed his rivalry with Jakob Ingebrigtsen in Japan.
“I’ve heard that he’s going to be at these Championships and I fully expect him to be in world record shape. That’s the way that I approach things. Nothing will shock me,” Kerr stated. “Just pure laser focus on the job at hand. There’s not a lot other stuff going on in my life.
“That is my playground however it’s absolutely targeted, absolutely concerned. That is what I do, it would not matter how laborious it’s, it would not matter what variables get thrown my method, you are targeted on doing all of your job to the most effective of your capacity. I really like that stress.
“I’m ready to race the best in the world at their best.”