Josh Kerr Takes Aim at 25-Year-Old Mile World Record
British runner Josh Kerr will attempt to break one of track and field's oldest records this summer in London. The reigning world champion is chasing a mark that has stood since 1999.
A world champion runner just announced he's going after one of the most legendary records in all of sports.
Josh Kerr, Britain's 28-year-old middle-distance star and reigning 1500m world champion, revealed he'll attempt to break the mile world record at London's Diamond League meet on July 18th. The record of 3:43.13 has stood for 27 years, set by Morocco's Hicham El Guerrouj in 1999.
Kerr's announcement came fresh off his gold medal win at the 2026 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Poland in February. Now he's ready to tackle one of track and field's most prestigious challenges.
The British athlete currently runs the mile in 3:45.34. That means he needs to shave off just over two seconds to make history.
"I'm going after the world record in the mile, on 18 July, at the London Diamond League," Kerr said. "It's one of the oldest world records right now in track and that's because it's really hard."
Kerr has been working toward this moment since 2018 when he signed with Brooks and started training with coach Danny Mackey. The two discussed the record attempt from day one, with Mackey telling him to signal when he felt ready to go for it.
Why This Inspires
This attempt represents more than just breaking a record. If Kerr succeeds, he'll become only the seventh British athlete ever to hold the mile world record, joining legendary runners like Roger Bannister, Sebastian Coe, and Steve Ovett.
His openness about his ambitious goals shows a refreshing confidence in British athletics. Kerr isn't just focused on the mile either. He's already thinking bigger, expressing his desire to eventually win a major marathon and join the current wave of successful British long-distance runners.
After the disappointment of the 2025 World Championships, Kerr and his coach decided the timing was right to chase this dream. Sometimes setbacks push us toward our greatest achievements.
The London crowd will witness history in the making this July, whether the record falls or not.
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Based on reporting by Google: marathon world record
This story was written by BrightWire based on verified news reports.
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