Josh Kerr broke the long-standing world mile record at the London Diamond League meeting on Saturday, delivering a standout performance before a packed crowd of 60,000 at London Stadium. The 28-year-old British runner clocked a time of 3 minutes 42.66 seconds, surpassing Hicham El Guerrouj’s mark set in 1999 by 0.47 seconds. Kerr’s time also trimmed nearly three seconds off his previous personal best.
Kerr, the 2023 world 1500m champion, undertook the attempt as part of his “Project 222,” which focused on overcoming the mental challenge required to challenge such a record. He incorporated specific recovery methods, including 222-second ice baths, into his training regime. His achievement marks the first time a Briton has held the world mile record since Steve Cram in 1985, making Kerr the seventh British athlete overall to do so. For his accomplishment, Kerr received a $50,000 prize.
“I feel very lucky to push this forward and bring it back to the UK because I feel like that’s where the mile belongs,” Kerr said after the run. “I knew I had 3:42 in me. If I’m going to leave my mark on this sport as a British athlete, I have to be able to do those performances. And those performances take every single part of you and every single part of your team.”
In the women’s events, Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson secured her first outdoor win of the season by taking the 800m in 1:56.21. Hodgkinson said her motivation stemmed from competing before a home crowd. “The only reason I came here today was because I wanted to win for the home crowd,” she remarked.
The men’s 800m featured an unexpected victory from American Brandon Miller, who set a personal best of 1:42.19. Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyoni finished fourth after fading down the stretch. Wanyoni had been aiming to challenge David Rudisha’s 2012 world record at the same stadium but was unable to maintain pace following a recent 1000m record set in Monaco.
Armand Duplantis, the double Olympic pole vault champion, withdrew from the competition due to a thigh injury sustained after clearing 5.95 meters. With the European Championships approaching next month, he opted to sit out. American Sam Kendricks won the event in Duplantis’s absence.
Saint Lucia’s Julien Alfred won the women’s 200m in 21.66 seconds, narrowly edging out American Gabby Thomas. In the men’s 100m, Nigeria’s Kanyinsola Ajayi equaled his national record with a time of 9.84 seconds, finishing ahead of Jamaica’s world champion Oblique Seville.
Other notable performances included Norway’s Karsten Warholm, who posted the fastest 400-meter hurdles time of the year at 46.61 seconds, in the absence of Brazil’s Alison dos Santos. American Rai Benjamin claimed the men’s 400m in a personal best of 44.05 seconds, while France’s Tiane Thopaz, 20, set a world-leading time of 12.89 seconds to win the 110m hurdles.
In the women’s high jump, Australia’s Nicola Olysagler cleared 2.01 meters to defeat Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh. The women’s discus saw a surprise winner as American Cierra Jackson produced a personal best and Diamond League record throw of 71.72 meters on her final attempt, finishing ahead of double Olympic champion Valarie Sion.