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Josh Kerr breaks men's mile world record in London

sportsJul 18, 202631651

Josh Kerr broke the mile world record at the London Diamond League on Saturday, running 3:42.66 to better Hicham El Guerrouj’s 3:43.13 mark from 1999. Kerr said the performance capped an eight-month plan he called Project 222 and credited his team and Brooks for a bespoke spike and speed suit. Pacemakers Brandon Kidder led him through 800m and Zan Rudolf through 1,000m, and Kerr ran laps of 54.75s, 55.88s and 55.76s to reach the bell. U.S. record-holder Yared Nuguse and Jake Heyward chased over the final lap but Kerr pulled away, winning by about three seconds and shaving 0.47s off the world record. Kerr covered the first 1,500m in 3:27.62, improving on his British record from the 2024 Olympic final, and finished as nine men broke 3:50 in the race. German Robert Farken set a national record of 3:46.82 for fourth place, one of six personal bests in the field. Kerr became the seventh British man to hold the mile world record and the first since Steve Cram in 1985.

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