Samuel Tefera at the Diamond League meeting in London (© Getty Images)
Two-time world indoor 1500m champion Samuel Tefera will go up against Olympic bronze medallist Josh Kerr at the Müller Birmingham Diamond League, the second meeting of the 2022 Wanda Diamond League series, at the Alexander Stadium on Saturday 21 May.
Tefera often performs well in the UK. In 2018 he won the world indoor 1500m title in Birmingham, then he returned to that city in 2019 and set a world indoor 1500m record of 3:31.04. Later that year at the Diamond League meeting in London, Tefera won the Emsley Carr mile in a world-leading 3:49.45.
Last week Tefera successfully defended his world indoor 1500m title in Belgrade, beating Olympic champion and world indoor record-holder Jakob Ingebrigtsen in the process.
Kerr, who has a 1500m PB of 3:29.05, is ranked second on the British all-time list. He took down the British indoor 1500m (3:32.86) and European indoor mile (3:48.87) records in Boston in February and goes into this summer as a proven championship racer with a realistic focus on winning medals.
“Making the podium in Tokyo might have been a surprise to some people, but it wasn’t a surprise to me,” said Kerr. “I don’t race too often, but I build consistent training blocks. I’m not one for big training camps and expensive facilities, but I work hard, and I have great belief in myself. I just keep my head down and stack the good days.
“I’ve enjoyed running fast this winter and I definitely want to continue that form and take down the British outdoor 1500m record, but it’s winning medals this summer that counts. My goal in Birmingham is to lay down a marker for the rest of the season as I prepare for the World Championships and Commonwealth Games.”
Organisers for World Athletics
