Almost ten years to the day since they first competed together, Jake Wightman and Josh Kerr will race together for the first time indoors at this year’s Millrose Games. 

There are many things that Jake Wightman and Josh Kerr have in common. They’re both Scottish, that’s an obvious one. They’re both from Edinburgh AC. They’ve both held the title of 1500m World Champion. They’ve raced each other on the track, on the roads and even on the cross country. It is almost ten years exactly since Kerr and Wightman first faced each other in a race – 9 January 2016. They both competed in the Scottish Inter District Championships at the Great Edinburgh Cross Country International. Wightman finished second and Kerr eighth. It is their only cross country competition together.

There is one thing they have not both done, however. Race each other indoors. That is set to change on Sunday 1 February, when both line up for the two miles at the Millrose Games. It will be a day of firsts for Wightman, as it will also be his debut at the Millrose Games. Previously announced, for Josh Kerr it is a distance and venue well known. He set the World Indoor Record of 8:00.67 at the 2024 edition of the event.

One week earlier, Wightman will race in more familiar territory at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix. There, he will race over 2000m. They will be his only indoor races of the season.