Men's mile record broken for first time since 1999

British runner Josh Kerr shattered the men's mile world record on Saturday, clocking in at 3 minutes, 42.66 seconds at a Diamond League meet in London. This remarkable performance erased the previous record of 3 minutes, 43.13 seconds, held for 27 years by Moroccan great Hicham El Guerrouj since 1999.

Kerr, a 28-year-old native of Edinburgh, celebrated his achievement with a lap of honor at the London Stadium. He described the final 110 meters of the race as a solitary effort, stating, "It was just me, my shoes and the track." He finished more than three seconds ahead of American Yared Nuguse, who took second place with a time of 3:45.69.

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It was just me, my shoes and the track. I was absolutely deaf in that last 110 meters.

Reflecting on the race, Kerr told the BBC that the crowd's support was "just incredible." He added, "I didn't take my foot off the gas, but I started to glide and I was like 'oh wow this feels incredible.' It's incredible because I'm slowing down. So, I was like 'I better get to the line.' So, crossing the finish line, seeing 42-something, anything, was my goal, so it was great."

Kerr's previous personal best was 3:45.34 in 2024. The 2023 world champion has been involved in a competitive rivalry with Jakob Ingebrigtsen, the 2021 Olympic champion, particularly in the 1,500-meter race. While Ingebrigtsen faltered in recent major events, Kerr has now set his sights on the mile, a distance with significant historical importance, famously marked by Roger Bannister's breaking of the four-minute barrier in 1954.

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I didn't take my foot off the gas, but ... I started to glide and I was like 'oh wow this feels incredible.' It's incredible because I'm slowing down. So, I was like 'I better get to the line.' So, crossing the finish line, seeing 42-something, anything, was my goal, so it was great.