The New Balance Indoor Grand Prix had track and field athletes making waves like no other. Out of all the categories that made headlines, the 1500m had more eyes on account of a young gun emerging victorious. Hobbs Kessler, the 20-year-old with big dreams in his heart, had serious competitiveness up his sleeves. Clocking a whopping 3:33.66 – his personal best, he moved past the reigning champion Jake Wightman. But the latter’s good-heartedness has never let him down on grounds of humanity.

Wightman was among the top picks of the Grand Prix leg this year. One of the first events to start the Olympic year with, GP shifted the 2022 WC gold medalist to second in his comfort category. But the 29-year-old missed his 1500m compatriot more than the gold, with whom he has always celebrated little successes since heydays. Their camaraderie is sure to bring an onslaught of tears to your eyes.

Jake Wightman proves the adage – a friend in need is a friend in deed

Fresh off a healing journey, Jake Wightman’s second-place finish was hard-earned. Speaking candidly with Athletics Weekly, when he was asked about his British compatriot Josh Kerr’s wins, his responses brought out his athletic spirit. The 2020 Tokyo Olympics bronze and 2023 World Championships gold medalist Kerr’s bond with Wightman goes beyond yonder. In the interview, the latter said, “We’ve never been jealous or resentful of anyone else’s successes… So there’s nothing but admiration and pride….At the end of the day, you want to beat each other on the track but you can still be friends… Appreciate what each other’s doing off the track”.

After clinching the silver, Wightman had said, “I got neither. Not the best outcome for me but gotta start somewhere, haven’t we?” His record not only shows what a top-class runner he is, but also places him on top of the roster for his interminable determination. 2023 has not been particularly pleasant for the 29-year-old. Falling at the maw of a foot injury snatched months of dedicated practice from him. But not anymore.

His recovery journey to culminate in Paris

“Having won worlds last year, the only thing to do is win Olympic gold,”he said. “It’s potentially my last Olympics so I need to make sure I do everything I possibly can to not have the season that I’ve had”, said he.

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Another of his statement solidified his aforementioned, “I’ve been battling for so long to be able to try and get my body in one piece so I can start at 100 percent to make sure that I can keep it there and go into Paris running my best“. It’s just 5 months until he can make a mark on the global stage and bid goodbye to Olympics on a good note.

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