Josh Kerr Shatters 27-Year-Old Mile World Record in London

LONDON — Britain's Josh Kerr shattered the men's mile world record at the Wanda Diamond League meeting here on Saturday, running 3 minutes 42.66 seconds to break Hicham El Guerrouj's 27-year-old mark of 3:43.13, according to BBC Sport, Reuters and World Athletics-affiliated results.

The 28-year-old Scot, who had publicly vowed to attack the record on home soil, took the lead in the back straight and held off a fast-closing field to clock the fastest mile in history, LetsRun.com reported. The previous record had stood since El Guerrouj set 3:43.13 in Rome in 1999.

Multiple independent outlets — Al Jazeera, France 24, NPR, Fox News and CBC — confirmed the feat within hours, describing it as one of the most significant British track performances of the year. Kerr told olympics.com after the race: "That's the legacy I want to leave."

Also in London, Britain's Keely Hodgkinson returned to winning ways in the 800m on home soil, according to the BBC, though no world record fell in her event.

World Athletics is the recognised authority for record ratification; the result is widely reported and attributed above.

## Josh Kerr's Mile World Record in Context

Kerr's 3:42.66 eclipses a benchmark that had resisted the sport's best for nearly three decades. The run headlines a strong British showing at the London Diamond League, the 11th meet of the 2026 series.

**Global/LOCAL angle:** The performance boosts British middle-distance athletics ahead of the next World Championships and underlines a global resurgence in the men's mile, one of track's blue-riband events.

**Related coverage:** - Diamond League 2026: London meet preview - World Athletics Championships: what to watch - Sport index

**FAQ** *Who broke the men's mile world record in 2026?* Britain's Josh Kerr, with 3:42.66 in London on 18 July 2026. *What was the previous mile world record?* Hicham El Guerrouj's 3:43.13, set in 1999. *Is the record officially ratified?* World Athletics is the governing body for ratification; the run has been confirmed by multiple news outlets and meet results.

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