British runner Josh Kerr broke the long-standing men’s mile world record at a Diamond League meeting in London on Saturday. Kerr clocked a time of 3 minutes, 42.66 seconds, smashing the previous mark of 3 minutes, 43.13 seconds set by Morocco’s Hicham El Guerrouj in Rome in 1999. Following the performance, the 28-year-old completed a lap of honor at London Stadium.
In a dominant display, Kerr finished just over three seconds ahead of Yared Nuguse, beating the previous world record by 0.47 seconds. He had targeted the mile race at the Diamond League meet as a main goal for the season.
Kerr had announced his bid to break the world record months in advance, seeking a major milestone during a track season without Olympics or world championships. His previous best time was 3:45.34 in 2024, and he is a silver medalist in the 1,500 meters at the 2024 Paris Olympics. While the mile is not a championships event, it holds iconic status in track history, with British runner Roger Bannister first breaking the four-minute barrier in 1954.