Josh Kerr Smashes World Mile Record in London
Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- Great Britain's Josh Kerr broke the men's mile world record at the London Diamond League.
- He finished the race in 3 minutes 42.66 seconds, surpassing Hicham El Guerrouj's 27-year-old record.
- Kerr is the first British athlete to hold the mile record since Steve Cram in 1985.
Josh Kerr of Great Britain has shattered the long-standing men's mile world record, achieving a spectacular feat at the London Diamond League. Kerr crossed the finish line in an astonishing three minutes and 42.66 seconds, eclipsing the previous record held by Morocco's Hicham El Guerrouj.
Kerr had publicly declared his intention to break El Guerrouj's mark, which had stood for 27 years, back in March. Competing in front of a roaring sell-out crowd of 60,000 spectators at the London Stadium, the five-time global medallist delivered a performance that not only met but exceeded expectations, beating the old record by nearly half a second.
At 28 years old, Kerr becomes the seventh British athlete to claim the prestigious mile record. He follows in the footsteps of Steve Cram, who was the last Briton to hold the record in 1985. The previous record, set in 1999, had remained untouched for nearly three decades, a testament to its difficulty.
Originally published by BBC News in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.