Josh Kerr breaks men’s mile world record at London Diamond League

LONDON: Britain’s Josh Kerr set a new men’s mile world record at the London Diamond League on Saturday, producing a run of 3 minutes 42.66 seconds at London Stadium.

The 28-year-old Scot, who is based in the United States, bettered the long-standing previous mark of 3:43.13 set by Morocco’s Hicham El Guerrouj in Rome in 1999. Kerr had shaped his season around an attempt on that record and said before the race that his body was

capable of the mark

Kerr went into the event as the British record holder and Olympic 1,500m silver medallist, carrying a personal best of 3:45.34, which placed him sixth on the all-time list before Saturday’s race. He is also a two-time world indoor 3,000m champion.

The race unfolded with help from pacemakers Brannon Kidder, Kerr’s training partner, and Slovenia’s Zan Rudolph. Olympic bronze medallist Yared Nuguse, who holds the North American record and stood fourth on the all-time mile list, stayed with Kerr until the final 200 metres before the Briton pulled clear.

In front of a loud crowd at the nearly 60,000-capacity stadium built for the 2012 London Olympics, Kerr surged through the finish and celebrated by punching the air as spectators rose to acclaim him.

British mile tradition

Before El Guerrouj took over as world record holder, British runners had a deep history in the mile. Roger Bannister became the first athlete to run the distance in under four minutes in 1954. He was followed by Steve Ovett, Sebastian Coe and Steve Cram, who were leading figures in the event between 1979 and 1993.

World Athletics president Sebastian Coe was present to hand Kerr a cheque for $50,000 along with a book on winning milers.