World Athletics Indoor Championships: Who is Hamish Kerr and ...

Two 27-year-old Kiwi athletes clinched world titles in their respective codes today at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow.

Hamish Kerr enjoyed the finest day of his athletics career shattering the New Zealand record, equal the Oceania record and set a world lead of 2.36m to strike high jump gold.

While Geordie Beamish ran a personal best 3 minutes 36.54 seconds to earn a breakthrough world title, taking gold in the 1500 metres,

Their achievements have left an impressive mark on New Zealand track and field, prompting curiosity about their backgrounds and journeys to the top of their respective sports.

Kerr first etched his name in history at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games by securing New Zealand’s first-ever men’s high jump gold medal.

The Christchurch Old Boys United alumni, became an Olympian as well, participating in Tokyo 2020 and finishing 10th with an impressive jump of 2.30m.

In 2020, the Auckland-born athlete, now based in Christchurch, set a national record of 2.31m in Wellington, surpassing the previous joint record of 2.30m held with Glenn Howard.

In the past year, Kerr made a significant coaching change, transitioning from longtime mentor Terry Lomax, who was contemplating retirement. Taking the reins now is James Sandilands – a decision Kerr would later find to be a rewarding one.

In Scotland on Monday morning (NZT), Kerr’s remarkable performance captivated spectators. He effortlessly cleared 2.15m on his first attempt and maintained his flawless streak at 2.20m. By 2.24m, the defending champion Sanghyeok Woo began to falter, needing a third attempt to stay in the competition.

Kerr’s dominance continued as he cleared 2.28m, securing a medal. Despite a failed attempt at 2.34m, Kerr secured the gold, becoming the third New Zealander to claim a World Indoor title.

Undeterred, Kerr aimed for 2.36m, surpassing his national record. With his final attempt, he cleared the bar, sealing a perfect day.

Shelby McEwen claimed silver while Woo took bronze.

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A delighted Kerr said: “I’m over the moon. We’ve dreamed about it and discussed it, the team believed it was going to happen but for me it didn’t happen until it happened and now it feels so special.”

Beamish grew up in Hawkes Bay and received coaching from the influential Alec McNab while attending Whanganui Collegiate School.

Son of Scott and Josi Beamish from Havelock North, he followed his older brother Hugo’s footsteps into collegiate athletics in the US after attending Hereworth School and Wanganui Collegiate.

As a former New Zealand U20 1500m and 3000m champion, he spent five years at Northern Arizona University before recently joining the On Athletics squad in Boulder, Colorado.

Beamish is currently under the guidance of three-time Olympian and former US 5000m record-holder, Dathan Ritzenhein.

Beamish’s achievement in Scotland is possibly Hawke’s Bay’s biggest-ever success in international athletics. It also adds to his remarkable start to his indoor season in 2024 as he also broke the long-standing New Zealand national 5000m record in Boston in January which marked his second Olympic entry standard for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

And it was not even his specialist event - Beamish is targeting the 3000 metres steeplechase at the Olympic Games in Paris later this year.

The race, not televised in New Zealand, was described by World Athletics as a “scintillating final lap”, saying Beamish had won the race “from the depths of hell”.

He displayed a characteristic kick, about 7th or 8th with about a lap to go and in a sprint finish pipping the two Americans.

Hastings runner-turned-coach Nick Potts, who has held the New Zealand secondary schools championships senior boys 1500m record for 35 years, managed to stop at the side of the road to catch the “live” and said Beamish ran the “tactfully perfect race.”

The win completed New Zealand’s most successful World Championships athletics meeting, with two gold medals and two silver medals, a total headed only by the US and Belgium on the medals table.

Bonnie Jansen is a multimedia journalist in the NZME sports team. She’s a keen footballer, has worked with the Alternative Commentary Collective and was part of the Te Rito cadetship scheme before becoming a full-time journalist.