Cole Hocker Claps Back After Josh Kerr 'Copies' His Celebration in World Indoor 3000m Win

Olympic 1500m champion Cole Hocker has responded to Josh Kerr following his celebration after winning the men’s 3000m at the World Indoor Championships in Torun, Poland.

Josh Kerr stormed to victory in 7:35.56, holding off Hocker and Yann Schrub, who finished second and third in 7:35.70 and 7:35.71, respectively, in a tightly contested race.

As he crossed the finish line, Josh Kerr mimicked Cole Hocker's signature celebration, the same one the American used after defeating him at the Millrose Games, adding another chapter to their growing rivalry.

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Josh Kerr crossed the finish line in an impressive 7:35.56, ahead of Cole Hocker and Yann Schrub, who finished second and third in respective times of 7:35.70 and 7:35.71.

While crossing the finish line, Josh Kerr mimicked the signature style that Cole Hocker did when beating the Briton at the Millrose Games.

At the event, Cole Hocker claimed top honours in a time of 8:07.31 ahead of Josh Kerr, who came in second in 8:07.68. Parker Wolfe sealed the podium in 8:07.83.

Cole Hocker reflected on his performance at the World Indoor Championships, describing the race as competitive and well-executed overall, even though he did not secure the win.

The American explained that the pace unfolded largely as he had hoped, with other competitors taking over at key moments, which allowed the race to develop into a strong, tactical contest heading into the final laps.

Cole Hocker added that the closing stages were particularly demanding, noting that navigating through the field indoors required significant effort and may have cost him valuable energy, especially in the final stretch.

He admitted that, in hindsight, making an earlier move could have improved his chances, but emphasised that indoor racing presents unique challenges with positioning and tight spaces, making split-second decisions difficult in such high-pressure moments.

“A little bit, except I didn't win. Yeah, no, it was a good race. It was championship-like style, but also, we were rolling and pretty much exactly what I wanted, going and then I wanted someone to take it from me. Take a couple laps, and that's exactly what the Ethiopians did, and that was good,” Cole Hocker said after the race.

“They made a real push for it, and then again it came down to a good last 400, which may be a little waste of energy just trying to get around some people, but it's tough to play indoors, and I think I did. I probably gave myself an A- on that race, but you know, it is what it is.”

Cole Hocker admitted that he chose a more cautious approach during the race, staying slightly behind the leaders to avoid unnecessary risks, although he acknowledged that this decision may have affected his overall outcome.

He expressed that anything short of victory feels disappointing for him, especially given the strong indoor season he has had, but recognised that when viewed more broadly, his performance was still very solid and close to ideal.

Cole Hocker further explained that timing his move in such races is always challenging, noting that positioning, especially being stuck behind competitors, can make it difficult to execute a perfect finish.

Hocker added that the advantage of being on the inside lane made it harder for him to overtake, as he had to cover more distance, and while he believes an earlier push might have helped slightly, he emphasised that conserving energy and choosing the right moment remains a delicate balance in high-level indoor racing.

“But I was like, I might just play it safe a couple of steps off them, but maybe it's just a figure of the world. Yeah, 100%. Anything outside of gold is kind of a disappointment. It's like, when I'm so zoomed in on it, of course, I'm disappointed,” he added.

“Had like the best indoor season of my career so far. I don't want to cap it off, but zooming out a bit, which is very, very tough to do. Pretty good win. Almost the perfect race. Not perfect, but you know, come up strong.”

Cole Hocker reacted to Josh Kerr’s post-race celebration by suggesting it was a response to their earlier encounter at the Millrose Games, where he had celebrated in a similar manner.

He said he understood the reaction and did not take much issue with it, acknowledging the competitive nature between them.

However, Hocker added that he would have preferred to see something more original, noting that while he had used the gesture before, it was not entirely unique, and he would remember the moment moving forward.

“That's all it was. Yeah, I can't even be that mad. I flexed on him at Millrose. I know he can't let that slide, so all I'm saying is at least come up with your own celebration. I mean, I did it, but it's already been done before, so I'll remember that one, though,” Cole Hocker said.