Josh Kerr set a new one-mile world record at the London Diamond League, running a time of 3 minutes 42.66 seconds. The accomplishment marks the first change in the record books for the distance in 27 years, with the previous mark of 3:43.13 held by Morocco’s Hicham El Guerrouj.
The 28-year-old British runner had publicly announced his world record bid in March, before the outdoor season began, and oriented his entire training schedule around this single race. His unconventional approach to preparation included writing the target time and date in his notebook daily and timing his ice baths to last precisely 3 minutes and 42 seconds. Despite the boldness of his pre-announcement, Kerr acknowledged the risks involved in making such a public declaration.
The race itself unfolded largely as planned. Two pacemakers, including Kerr’s training partner Brannon Kidder, guided him through the early portion before dropping out around the one-kilometer mark. From that point, Kerr accelerated decisively, with American Olympic medalist Yared Nuguse unable to keep pace. Nuguse finished more than three seconds behind. Kerr’s performance also set a British record in the 1500-meter split at 3:27.62.
Kerr becomes the seventh British man to hold the one-mile world record, joining a lineage that includes Roger Bannister, Sebastian Coe, and Steve Ovett. Coe, now World Athletics president, praised the execution of the performance. In other results from the meet, Olympic 800-meter champion Keely Hodgkinson won her race despite recent injury setbacks, while Brandon Miller won the men’s 800m and Julien Alfred captured the 200m. Sweden’s Mondo Duplantis withdrew from the pole vault competition due to a thigh injury.