Josh Kerr etched his name into athletics history on Saturday by breaking the men’s world mile record at the London Diamond League. The 27-year-old clocked an astonishing 3:42.66, surpassing a mark that had stood for 27 years previously held by Morocco’s Hicham El Guerrouj. His performance marked one of the biggest highlights of the Diamond League season.
What is a mile record?The mile world record is the fastest time ever recorded in a one-mile (1,609.34 metres) track race. Although the mile is not an Olympic event, it remains one of athletics’ most prestigious distances. The mile is different from the Olympic 1,500 metres event, though the distances are close. A mile is about 109.34 metres longer than 1,500m, which is why world records for the two events are tracked separately.
Who is Josh Kerr?
Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, Josh Kerr has emerged as one of Britain’s most accomplished middle-distance athletes over the past few years. He won bronze in the men’s 1500m at the Tokyo Olympics before adding a world title in the same event at the 2023 World Athletics Championships.
The 27-year-old is the seventh British man to hold the world mile record, joining an elite list of runners that includes Roger Bannister, Sebastian Coe and Steve Ovett. His achievement adds another chapter to Britain’s rich history in middle-distance running. The record also cements Kerr’s place among the country’s greatest athletes.