From Championship Glory to Record-Breaking Peak
Kerr's world record caps a career trajectory defined by world titles, Olympic medals, and elite performances.
Event / Sports
Josh Kerr Mile World Record
British runner Josh Kerr broke the men's mile world record on July 18, 2026, at the Diamond League in London with a time of 3:42.66, surpassing Hicham El Guerrouj's 27-year record.
3 reported locations
Daily activity
0 articles0 articles
2026-08-15 to 2026-11-12 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 19 Jul, 00:59 UTC
Follow the documented timeline or explore the related reporting.
What happened
Kerr becomes seventh British holder of mile world record
Josh Kerr became the seventh British runner to hold the mile world record. Previous British record holders include Roger Bannister, who ran the first sub-four-minute mile in 1954, Sebastian Coe, Steve Ovett, and Steve Cram, who last held the record in 1985.
Kerr won Olympic silver in 1500m at 2024 Paris Games
Josh Kerr won an Olympic silver medal in the men's 1500 meters at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. He also previously won a bronze medal in the 1500m at the Tokyo Olympics.
Yared Nuguse finished second in London mile race
American runner Yared Nuguse finished second in the Diamond League mile race in London with a time of 3:45.69, finishing approximately three seconds behind winner Josh Kerr.
Kerr won 2023 world championship in 1500m
Josh Kerr won the world championship in the 1500 meters in 2023.
Josh Kerr breaks men's mile world record with 3:42.66
British runner Josh Kerr ran the mile in 3 minutes 42.66 seconds at the Diamond League meet in London, breaking the 27-year-old world record of 3:43.13 set by Moroccan runner Hicham El Guerrouj in Rome in 1999. Kerr, 28, from Edinburgh, broke the record in front of approximately 60,000 fans at London Stadium.
Kerr announced mile record bid in March 2026
Josh Kerr publicly announced his intention to break the mile world record in late March 2026, stating that with no Olympic Games or World Championships scheduled for 2026, he focused his efforts on setting the mile record.
Kerr trained in high altitude Albuquerque for record attempt
Josh Kerr trained in the high altitude of Albuquerque, New Mexico for his mile world record attempt. His sponsor Brooks Running designed custom spikes and a speed suit for the effort, which was branded 'Project 222,' referencing 222 seconds (3 minutes 42 seconds).
Read the coverage
2 alternative perspectives
Kerr Shatters Mile World Record with 3:42.66 Performance
Josh Kerr broke the mile world record at 3:42.66 in London.