Josh Kerr made athletics history on Saturday by shattering the one-mile world record at the London Diamond League, clocking 3min 42.66sec to beat Hicham El Guerrouj's 27-year-old mark of 3:43.13 by 0.47 seconds. The 28-year-old becomes the seventh British man to hold the mile world record, joining legends Roger Bannister, Sebastian Coe, and Steve Ovett.
Kerr's bold prediction comes true
Kerr had publicly declared his world record bid in March, gearing his entire season around this single race. He wrote "I ran 3.42 at the London Diamond League. July 18th, 2026" in his notebook daily and timed his ice baths to exactly 3 minutes and 42 seconds. "I knew I had 3:42 in me," Kerr said. "If I'm to leave my mark on this sport as a British legend, I have to put in those performances."
Race execution and support
The race went almost perfectly to plan. Kerr credited his sponsor Brooks for custom spikes and an aerodynamic race kit, and his training partner Brannon Kidder who sacrificed his season as a pacemaker. After the pacers dropped out around one kilometre, Kerr unleashed a powerful finish, with American Yared Nuguse finishing over three seconds behind. Kerr's 1500m split of 3:27.62 improved his own British record for the distance.
Reactions and other events
World Athletics president Sebastian Coe called it "absolutely incredible" and "foot perfect." Kerr's victory headlined a meet where Keely Hodgkinson won the 800m in 1:56.21 despite recent injuries, and Saint Lucia's Julien Alfred won the 200m. Sweden's Mondo Duplantis withdrew mid-competition due to a thigh injury.
