E-Paper
Who is Josh Kerr? British runner breaks 27-year-old mile world record at London Diamond League
Josh Kerr shattered Hicham El Guerrouj’s 27-year-old men’s mile world record at the London Diamond League.
British middle-distance runner Josh Kerr created athletics history at the London Diamond League after breaking one of the sport’s most enduring records. The 28-year-old smashed Hicham El Guerrouj’s 27-year-old men’s mile world record, clocking an incredible 3 minutes 42.66 seconds at London Stadium.
Kerr had publicly announced his ambition earlier this year to challenge the legendary record on home soil. According to BBC Sport, the Scot had targeted El Guerrouj’s mark of 3:43.13, which had remained untouched since 1999, when Kerr was only one year old.
Running in front of a packed crowd of 60,000 spectators, Kerr delivered on his promise and became the seventh British athlete to hold the men’s mile world record.
He is the first British runner to achieve the feat since Steve Cram set the previous record in 1985.
Who is Josh Kerr?
Josh Kerr is a Scottish middle-distance athlete known for his success in the 1500m and mile events. He is a former world champion and double Olympic medallist, establishing himself as one of the leading names in global middle-distance running.
Before his record-breaking performance in London, Kerr was the sixth-fastest man in history over the mile, holding a British record personal best of 3:45.34.
Also Read: ‘Don’t know why my record still stands after 32 years’
His latest achievement has now placed him among the greatest mile runners in athletics history.
How did Josh Kerr break the mile world record?
Kerr entered the London Diamond League race facing a serious challenge from American Yared Nuguse, who was fourth on the all-time mile list and considered one of the biggest threats to his record attempt.
The race began with Kerr following two pacemakers, but both stepped away around the 1000-metre mark. From that point, Kerr took control of the race.
As he pushed through the final stages, Nuguse was unable to stay with him. Kerr crossed the finish line in 3:42.66, comfortably beating El Guerrouj’s mark and sparking celebrations inside London Stadium.
According to The Guardian, Kerr had built his entire season around breaking the mile record. He reportedly wrote the line, “I ran 3.42 at the London Diamond League. July 18th, 2026” in his notebook every day for months as part of his preparation.
Also Read: LA 2028 blueprint for shooters: 6 medals, personalised plans, world-record mindset
His focus extended to his training routine as well, with the report noting that Kerr even structured his ice bath sessions around the target time of three minutes and 42 seconds.
With his record-breaking performance, Kerr has joined a prestigious list of British mile record holders that includes athletics legends such as Roger Bannister, Sebastian Coe, Steve Ovett and Steve Cram.
