Josh Kerr shatters 27-year-old men's mile world record at Diamond League London
Josh Kerr of Britain broke the men's mile world record on Saturday (July 19, 2026) at a Diamond League meet in London, clocking 3 minutes, 42.66 seconds. The 28-year-old from Edinburgh surpassed the previous mark of 3:43.13 set by Moroccan legend Hicham El Guerrouj in Rome in 1999.
Running at London Stadium, Kerr finished more than three seconds ahead of American Yared Nuguse, who came second in 3:45.69. Kerr celebrated with a lap of honour after crossing the finish line.
In an interview with the BBC, Kerr described the final moments of the race. “It was just me, my shoes and the track,” he said. “I was absolutely deaf in that last 110 metres.” He added that the crowd support was “just incredible” as he closed in on the record. “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 best time in the mile was 3:45.34, set in 2024. The mile is not a standard Olympic event but carries historical significance, notably Roger Bannister's first sub-four-minute mile in 1954.
Kerr and Norwegian Jakob Ingebrigtsen, the 2021 Olympic champion, have revived interest in middle-distance running. In the lead-up to the Paris Olympics, the two exchanged comments, including Kerr suggesting that Ingebrigtsen relied on pacesetters, which are not allowed in major championships. At the Paris Games, Ingebrigtsen finished fourth while American Cole Hocker won gold, with Kerr taking silver.
At the 2025 world championships, Ingebrigtsen was eliminated in a preliminary heat, while Kerr pulled up injured but finished the race, which was won by Portugal's Isaac Nader.
With no world championships or Olympics in 2026, Kerr focused on the mile as his key target. “I better get to the line,” he said, reflecting on his effort.
