Josh Kerr of Team Great Britain celebrates after winning the 1 Mile Men's Final and setting a new World Record during the Novuna London Athletics Meet, part of the 2026 Wanda Diamond League, at London Stadium on July 18, 2026 in London, England. (Pho …
British runner Josh Kerr broke the world record Saturday for the fastest mile.
The previous record had stood for 27 years.
Josh Kerr’s mile world record
By the numbers:
At a Diamond League meet in London, Kerr ran a mile in 3 minutes, 42.66 seconds, beating Moroccan great Hicham El Guerrouj’s mark of 3 minutes, 43.13 seconds set in Rome in 1999. He finished just over three seconds ahead of American Yared Nuguse’s 3:45.69.
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Kerr’s previous best time was 3:45.34 in 2024.
What they're saying:
"It was just me, my shoes and the track," said Kerr, 28. "I was absolutely deaf in that last 110 meters.
In an interview with the BBC, Kerr said the crowd support as he closed in on the record was "just incredible."
"I didn’t take my foot off the gas," he continued, "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, who won a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, decided to focus on the mile world record this year because there are no world races or Olympics scheduled. The mile isn’t run as much in big competitions, but it’s still been a significant milestone ever since Roger Bannister broke the four-minute mark in 1954.
The Source: This report includes information from The Associated Press.