Jake Wightman secures 1500m world silver as Josh Kerr pulls up in Tokyo final

Great Britain’s Jake Wightman claimed a stunning world 1500 metres silver medal after defending champion Josh Kerr pulled up in a final won by Portugal’s Isaac Nader in Tokyo.

Wightman, the 2022 world champion, crossed the line in 3:34.12, just two one hundredths of a second behind the gold medallist.

Kerr fought his way through and finished the race last, clearly struggling, Kenya’s Reynold Cheruiyot collected bronze in 3:34.25, and Dutch favourite Niels Laros was fifth in 3:34.52.

Neil Gourley came 10th in the first final the Scottish trio had raced together since the 2019 world championship final in Doha.

Wightman told BBC Sport: “All I knew today was I was going to try to run to win.

“Whether that got me the win, second or third, however high up, I would just be happy I walked away with it.

“But when you come that close to winning it, you cant help but be a little bit ‘what if I had tried a bit more?’ but I left everything out there.”

Wightman was relieved to have come through a testing spell off the track.

“It has been a very bleak couple of years for me. A lot of times I doubted myself, even that I could get back to this level, so me making this team was the main thing,” he said.

“I made some huge changes in my life this past year to try to get back to this point.

“It will be a while to process this. I am big believer that you kind of get what you put in at some point.

“When I kept getting kicked when I was down, I just kept believing that at some point karma was going to come back and give me a bit of luck.

“I nearly got there, but for me this a gold – just getting on the start line in a championship final is a gold. I went in with a bit of freedom knowing whatever happened happened, and I am so relieved.”

Earlier Dina Asher-Smith, Daryll Neita and Amy Hunt all made it through to the women’s 200m semi-finals, 2019 world champion Asher-Smith fastest, winning the final opening-round heat in 22.40s.

Hunt, who was second from heat five in 22.57s, revealed she held back under conditions that still remained oppressive on day five.

She said: “I could have pushed, but I was like, ‘What’s the point?’. I was just trying to be smart, be sensible, nothing crazy.”

Zharnel Hughes qualified for the men’s semi-final second from heat four in 20.07s behind American defending champion Noah Lyles, who finished in 19.99s, but Great Britain’s Toby Harries missed out.

Hughes said: “I know I can do great things in this 200m if I just keep trusting myself and keep showing up.”

Gout Gout, the prodigious 17-year-old Australian who has drawn comparisons with Usain Bolt, took the third automatic qualifying spot from heat five in 20.23s.

There was a big blow to the British men’s 4x400m relay medal hopes after Sam Reardon confirmed his withdrawal due to a hamstring re-injury sustained during Tuesday’s individual semi-final.

Posting on Instagram, he wrote: “I’m gutted not to be out there with the boys, but I will be cheering them on from the stands, and can’t wait to watch them do what we all know they are capable of.”

Great Britain collected 4x400m relay bronzes at the previous world championships and the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Tyri Donovan’s personal best 48.21s was not enough in the men’s 400m hurdles semi-final as he went out alongside Alastair Chalmers, and Emily Newnham bowed out of the women’s edition.