Josh Kerr Shatters 27-Year Mile World Record with 3:42.66

British middle-distance runner Josh Kerr made history on Saturday, July 18, 2026, breaking the mile world record that had stood for 27 years. Running at the Novuna London Athletics Meet, part of the Wanda Diamond League at London Stadium, Kerr clocked 3 minutes 42.66 seconds to beat Moroccan legend Hicham El Guerrouj's mark of 3:43.13 by nearly half a second.

Project 222: A Record Built in Public

In late March 2026, Kerr publicly announced his world record attempt, called Project 222 by him and sponsor Brooks Running — a reference to the 222 seconds he needed to run. Two training partners served as pacemakers to keep him on target throughout the race. Kerr pulled clear in the final straight to become the first human to run a mile in under 3 minutes 43 seconds. American Yared Nuguse finished second, about three seconds behind.

A 27-Year Record Falls

El Guerrouj set his mark of 3:43.13 in Rome on July 7, 1999. Kerr, 28, who won the 1500m silver at the 2024 Paris Olympics, shaved 0.47 seconds off the old record. The London Stadium crowd erupted as the time appeared on the scoreboard, with commentators calling it one of the greatest moments in British athletics history.

A Season Without Major Championships

2026 is neither an Olympic nor a World Championships year for athletics. Without those titles to chase, Kerr directed his drive into making history differently. The success of Project 222 has sparked debate about whether other iconic records might be similarly targeted by today's elite athletes. Follow athletics news on akm.news.