2 min readUpdated: Jul 18, 2026 09:26 PM IST Britain’s Josh Kerr broke the longstanding men’s mile record on Saturday when he ran 3 minutes, 42.66 seconds at a Diamond League meeting in London on Saturday. The previous record holder was Moroccan Hicham El Guerrouj’s mark of 3 minutes, 43.13 seconds which was set in Rome in 1999 when Kerr was only 1 year old. The 28-year-old Kerr’s previous best time was 3:45.34 in 2024. He had targeted the mile race at the Diamond League meet as a main goal in a track season with neither Olympics nor world championships. The mile is not a championships event yet has iconic status in track history, with the four-minute barrier finally broken in 1954 by another British runner, Roger Bannister. Kerr was a silver medalist in the 1,500 meters at the 2024 Paris Olympics. “I’m not a bettor, but it’s in my favour for sure. My body is capable of the mark, so my job tomorrow is to have my mind available to let my body do …