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Olympian Breaks Track Record That Stood for 27 Years

The 28-year-old British runner set the record in a race in London.

Scottish runner Josh Kerr has run the fastest mile in history, breaking a world record that had stood for 27 years. Kerr, 28, ran the mile in 3:42.66 at the Diamond League meet in London, narrowly edging the previous record of 3:43.13 set by Morocco’s Hicham El Guerrouj. Kerr crossed the finish line three seconds ahead of the American Yared Nuguse before celebrating with a lap of honor. Kerr had made no secret of his goal, saying in March that he wanted to break the world record during a season without the Olympics or World Championships. “It’s very overwhelming with the amount of hype I created,” Kerr said. “If I am to leave my mark on this sport as a British legend, following in the footsteps of the legends behind me, I have to put in those performances.” The Edinburgh native said the British crowd pushed him through the closing stages of the race. Kerr won the silver medal at the 2024 Paris Games and Bronze in the 2020 Tokyo Games for the same race.