Josh Kerr smashes men's mile world record in London
Josh Kerr smashed the men's mile world record at the London Diamond League, clocking 3:42.66 to erase Hicham El Guerrouj's 27-year mark of 3:43.13. The British Olympic medallist delivered in front of 60,000 fans at London Stadium, cutting nearly half a second from a record untouched since 1999.
Key Takeaways
- Josh Kerr ran 3:42.66, taking 0.47 seconds off the previous men's mile world record.
- Hicham El Guerrouj's 3:43.13 from 1999 had stood longer than any prior mile world record.
- Kerr is the seventh Briton to hold the mile record and the first since Steve Cram in 1985.
- A sell-out crowd of 60,000 at London Stadium backed his long-planned "Project 222" attempt.
- American Yared Nuguse chased on the last lap, but Kerr still won by about three seconds.
The Scot's run instantly rewrites one of athletics' most stubborn marks and hands Britain another mile legend for the Bizarre World file of history-making moments.
How fast did Josh Kerr run the mile?
Kerr crossed the line in three minutes 42.66 seconds at the London Diamond League on Saturday. That sliced 0.47 seconds from El Guerrouj's Moroccan record of 3:43.13, set in 1999 when Kerr was one year old.
He had entered the race as the sixth-fastest man in history over the mile, with a British-record personal best of 3:45.34. Pacemakers Brandon Kidder and Zan Rudolf led him through 800m and 1,000m before Kerr pressed on alone, ticking off early laps in 54.75, 55.88 and 55.76 seconds to the bell.
After 1,200m in 2:46.5, he held form with 13.7-second splits over the final three 100m stretches. He also went through 1,500m faster than his British record for that distance, according to BBC Sport.
Why does Josh Kerr's mile world record matter?
El Guerrouj's time had stood for 27 years and longer than any previous mile world record. Kerr, a 28-year-old two-time Olympic medallist and five-time global medallist, becomes the seventh British athlete to claim the mile mark and the first since Steve Cram in 1985.
He announced the London attempt in March and framed eight months of work as "Project 222," a nod to the seconds between him and history. Coach Danny Mackey said the goal dated back to Kerr's return from a calf injury that ended his World Championships bid in Tokyo last September.
Brooks supplied a bespoke speed suit and spikes for the warm London conditions. Kerr told BBC Sport the hype felt overwhelming but that he knew he had 3:42 in him. "I just hoped it would be a little bit faster," he added after raising his arms to the crowd.
Who chased Josh Kerr in London?
U.S. record-holder Yared Nuguse, fourth on the all-time mile list, lined up as a genuine threat. Jake Heyward also closed over the final lap, yet Kerr stayed clear and won by roughly three seconds, leaving the record attempt never really in doubt once he hit full stride.
Elsewhere on the same card, Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson won the women's 800m in 1:56.21, holding off Femke Broeders-Bol. Kerr's mile, though, was the headline: a home-soil world record after months of public promise, and a result that finally moved the men's mile into a new era.