Josh Kerr Chases 25-Year Mile Record in London This July

One of Britain's greatest distance runners is coming home to chase history, and he's bringing an entire science team with him.

Josh Kerr, the 28-year-old world champion, announced he'll attempt to break the men's mile world record at the London Diamond League on July 18. The mark he's chasing belongs to Morocco's Hicham El Guerrouj, who ran 3:43.13 in Rome in 1999, a record that has survived a quarter century of attempts by the world's fastest runners.

Kerr isn't settling for just breaking the record. His ambitious "Project 222" aims for a time of 3:42 flat, which translates to 222 seconds, shaving more than a full second off a record many thought untouchable.

The timing couldn't be better. With no outdoor world championships this year, Kerr has the freedom to design his entire season around one perfect race, and he insisted it happen on British soil.

"It was a non-negotiable to do it in the U.K.," Kerr said. "It's time to bring the mile world record home."

Kerr's credentials back up his confidence. He won the 1,500-meter world title in 2023 and claimed Olympic medals in Tokyo and Paris. His current mile best of 3:45.34 is the British record and ranks sixth all-time.

Why This Inspires

This attempt represents something bigger than fast running. Kerr is attacking what he calls "the hardest track and field world record right now" with complete transparency and a home crowd cheering him on.

His sponsor Brooks is developing custom race-day spikes tailored to his unique biomechanics and testing speed suit concepts to maximize efficiency. The Brooks Research Lab is even optimizing his sleep and hydration strategies for peak performance.

Rather than hiding behind secrecy, Kerr is embracing the pressure. He knows the mile record has defeated countless talented runners, and that's exactly why he wants to try in front of his own fans.

The London crowd will witness either history or a valiant attempt that pushes the boundaries of human speed. Either way, they'll see an athlete refusing to play it safe, choosing instead to chase greatness in the most public way possible.

On July 18, one of track's most storied records finally gets a serious challenger on home turf.