Josh Kerr on BBC Sports Personality disappointment
Olympic hero Josh Kerr has opened up on his disappointment after being overlooked for the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year award in 2023.
The 28-year-old Edinburgh-born star recorded the fastest mile of all time in London two weeks ago and followed it up as he raced to gold at the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
The Scot has said he would love to crown his recent achievements by winning the Sports Personality of the Year award.
Kerr claimed he was “massively disappointed” to be snubbed from a six-person shortlist for the accolade three years ago after winning the 1500 metres at the World Championships. The award ultimately went to England goalkeeper Mary Earps.
This time, Kerr faces steep competition from England midfielder Jude Bellingham, two-time Masters winner Rory McIlroy, Winter Olympian Matt Weston and darts prodigy Luke Littler.
“I'm trying not to build my expectations prematurely for this, though I would absolutely love it. It would be a huge privilege for me, especially since we've seen incredible athletes emerge this year across the Winter Games, the World Cup and all the major rugby tournaments. “It's tough to stay on par with those incredible competitors, so my plan is simply to stay focused on my own performance, and I just hope people recognise my accomplishments to date.”
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The middle-distance runner also hinted at his desire to shatter one more global benchmark before the current campaign concludes.
Just a fortnight ago, he wrote his name into the history books at the London Stadium by completing the mile in 3:42.66. His incredible performance eclipsed the legendary 3:43.13 set by Hicham El Guerrouj in Rome in 1999 by nearly half a second.
Now, Kerr has his sights set on the Moroccan icon’s 1500m record, a milestone that has remained unbroken for an astounding 28 years. El Guerrouj clocked a time of 3:26.00 during a 1998 meet in Rome, and the ambitious Scot is eager to challenge that incredible standard.
“That's clearly our next major target,” he said following his Glasgow victory. “However, I have to be mindful of my physical limits. Ultimately, I'm only human, and the upcoming schedule doesn't offer many opportunities to make a realistic attempt.”
“Because of that, I plan to huddle with my coaches to figure out what is feasible for the remainder of the year. Physically and mentally, I am in a fantastic place. “I feel fine, though this stretch has definitely been exhausting. Fortunately, I don't have any underlying injuries and remain in peak condition, but I must acknowledge the immense physical demand of the past fortnight. I promise to be completely transparent once we finalise our strategy.”
In addition to his record-breaking ambitions, the runner suggested he is targeting the World Athletics Ultimate Championship, a prestigious invitational event scheduled for Budapest this September.
When questioned about competing in the Hungarian capital, Kerr said:
“I think it's entirely possible. We'll be making that choice within the next week or two, and I'll be completely upfront about it. I'll make a public announcement very soon to confirm whether or not I'll be racing.”
Josh Kerr's recent surge in form has already drawn heavy attention, with his 3:42.66 mile and Commonwealth gold underlining a remarkable spell. Our earlier coverage of Kerr's Commonwealth gold in Glasgow and his criticism of the $50,000 bonus after the world record mile both came during that same run of form, while his return to Scotland also featured in his comments about Glasgow 2026 being a fun homecoming and his build-up to the Commonwealth mile clash at Scotstoun Stadium.
