Josh Kerr has declared he is in the best shape of his life and "not scared of failure" as he prepares to attempt the one-mile world record at Saturday's London Diamond League. The former 1500m world champion and double Olympic medallist aims to surpass Hicham El Guerrouj's mark of 3 minutes 43.13 seconds, which has stood since 1999.
Kerr's bold ambition
Kerr, 28, has built his entire season around this one race, dubbed "Project 222" by his sponsor Brooks, reflecting the number of seconds needed to break the record. He has documented his training on YouTube and even sets his ice bath timer to 3 minutes 42 seconds. "I'm not a bettor, but it's in my favour for sure," Kerr said. "My body is capable of the mark, so my job tomorrow is to have my mind available to let my body do its job."
No fear of failure
Kerr acknowledged the risk but embraced it. "There's different breeds of people. As an athlete, I'm not scared of failing," he said. "I'm on the attack at all times, and I'm bold with what I talk about. I'm just going out there and doing what I've said that I'm capable of doing." The race will feature Olympic 1500m bronze medallist Yared Nuguse, the fourth-fastest miler in history, who could aid or challenge Kerr.
Hodgkinson's focus on winning
Meanwhile, Keely Hodgkinson, the Olympic 800m champion, has scaled back her world record ambitions after a difficult month with injuries. She withdrew from the UK championships with muscle tightness and suffered a freak knee injury. "I'm not putting any pressure on myself to chase times," Hodgkinson said. "For me, it's winning and being back on top, especially after these last couple of weeks when it's been a bit difficult."
