British phenom smashes men’s mile world record set in 1999
Josh Kerr of Great Britain shattered the men’s mile world record in a head-spinning run in London on Sunday (AEST), knocking off a mark set by the legendary Hicham El Guerrouj in 1999.
Australia’s Jessica Hull and Rose Davies also starred at the Diamond League meet, finishing first and second respectively in the women’s 3000 metres in terrific performances on the eve of the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
Josh Kerr erupts. Michael Steele/Getty Images
But all performances at the Olympic stadium on this day were overshadowed by the jaw-dropping run of Kerr, who clocked 3:42.66 to break the 3:43.13 set by Morocco’s El Guerrouj in Rome 27 years ago.
Kerr, 28, had been telling the world about his world record attempt for months.
He had dubbed it Project 222 – the number of seconds that go into three minutes, 42 seconds – and left not a single stone unturned in his quest for history.
His sponsor, Brooks, had crafted custom-made spikes for him and a custom-made “speed suit”.
In the days leading up to the world record attempt, he had run a 1200m time trial in Albuquerque – a city in New Mexico that’s 1626 metres above sea level – in 2:42.45.
He had even been spending 12 hours a day in an altitude chamber in his bedroom.
On race day, he was pulled along by two pacemakers: American Brannon Kidder and Slovenia’s Zan Rudolf.
The pace was set for him until 600m to go, when he strode to the front with American Yared Nuguse, one of his great rivals, nipping at his heels.
Nuguse won bronze in the 1500m at the Paris 2024 Olympics. He is also the fifth-fastest miler in history.
Yet Kerr demolished him in his world record run.
Kerr (3:42.66) was joined on the podium by Nuguse (3:45.69) and Great Britain’s Jake Heyward (3:46.73).
Australia’s Jessica Hull winning the women’s 3000m. Adam Davy/PA via AP
The British phenom stretched his lead on the back straight of the bell lap, and stretched it some more – to about 40m – as he flew down the home straight to the deafening roars of a 60,000-strong crowd.
Kerr punched the air with his fist after bounding over the finish line, let out one mighty “c’mon!“, ripped open his speed suit, and took off on a victory lap with the UK flag.
“It is very overwhelming. There was a lot of hype,” Kerr said.
“I am surrounded by amazing people, so I have continued to put the work in and I knew I had a 3:42 in me. I nearly lost it there at the end, but I got over the line.
“Out there, I am just the body, but there is an incredible amount of work behind the scenes. Today is a result of all that hard work.
“The last lap was incredible. I was deaf in the last 110 metres.”
Commentator Tim Hutchings hailed Kerr’s run as “the ballsiest world record in the history of middle-distance racing”.
Josh Kerr celebrates his world record run. Harry Murphy/Getty Images
“Incredible,” world-renowned running coach Steve Magness wrote on X.
Sebastian Coe, the World Athletics president and a former mile world record holder, witnessed Kerr’s heroics trackside.
“It was unbelievable,” Coe said.
“He was foot perfect, and he brought the kind of mental resilience to that competition ... I’ve rarely seen in any competition.
“It takes what he’s done; he is superbly well trained, he is mahogany hard mentally, and he set out his store.
“He set out to break the record – and he did it in the most spectacular way. I’m almost speechless.
“Hicham El Guerrouj I consider to be the greatest of them all, but Josh is closing in very, very fast on him.”
Josh Kerr and his newly minted men’s mile world record. Michael Steele/Getty Images
Hull’s clinical win
Australia’s Olympic silver medallist sharpened up for the Commonwealth Games, which begin on Thursday, with a commanding 3000m win.
She took the bell in second place and hit the lead with 200m to go with a wicked turn of speed, powering away to claim her first win since dominating the 5000m at the national championships in April.
Hull won in 8:24.69 and Davies took second in 8:25.38, ahead of Ireland’s Sarah Healy (8:25.63).
Australia had four top-10 finishers in a field of 19, with Linden Hall taking sixth and Georgia Griffith seventh.
Olyslagers claims victory
Australia’s Nicola Olyslagers also picked up a win in London, taking out the women’s high jump in a tight battle against reigning Olympic champion Yaroslava Mahuchikh.
Olyslagers and Mahuchikh both topped out at 2.01m, with Australia’s reigning world champion winning via countback.
Fellow Aussie Eleanor Patterson took third with a 1.96m jump.
