Britain’s Josh Kerr produced one of the greatest performances in athletics history by breaking the 27-year-old men’s mile world record at the London Stadium during the Diamond League meeting.
Roared on by a sold-out crowd of 60,000 spectators, the 28-year-old clocked an incredible 3:42.66, beating Hicham El Guerrouj’s long-standing world record by 0.47 seconds while improving his own personal best by almost three seconds.
The achievement completed Kerr’s ambitious ‘Project 222’, an initiative aimed at running the mile in under 223 seconds. With the performance, Kerr became the seventh Briton to hold the world mile record and the first since Steve Cram in 1985. El Guerrouj had set the previous record in 1999 when Kerr was just one year old. Earlier this year, the 2023 world 1,500m champion publicly declared his intention to target the record, even incorporating 222-second ice-bath recovery sessions into his training as part of the project.
“Going after records like that is not really anything about fitness, it’s about wrapping your mind around that time. That’s why this was called Project 222,” said Kerr, who was presented with a cheque for $50,000 for breaking the record. “I feel very lucky to push this forward and bring it back to the UK because I feel like that’s where the mile belongs. Hopefully it can stay for a while. “I knew I had 3:42 in me. If I’m going to leave my mark on this sport as a British athlete…, I have to be able to do those performances. And those performances take every single part of you and every single part of your team. This feels incredible.”
Hodgkinson wins in front of home crowd
Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson secured her first outdoor victory of the season, winning women’s 800m in 1:56.21. “The only reason I came here today was because I wanted to win for home crowd. I’m happy to get that out of way,” said Hodgkinson.
Brandon Miller stuns 800m field
American runner Brandon Miller produced one of the biggest surprises of the meeting by winning the men’s 800m in a personal best 1:42.19. Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi, who had been chasing David Rudisha’s world record after breaking the 1,000m world mark in Monaco a week earlier, faded late to finish fourth.
Duplantis withdraws from Pole Vault
Pole vault superstar Armand Duplantis was forced to withdraw after experiencing discomfort in his left thigh. The double Olympic champion failed at 5.85m before clearing 5.95m, but opted to end his competition after receiving treatment as he focuses on next month’s European Championships. American Sam Kendricks claimed victory in his absence.
Alfred, Ajayi and Warholm shine
Olympic champion Julien Alfred of Saint Lucia stormed to victory in the women’s 200m in 21.66 seconds, narrowly defeating American Gabby Thomas by 0.15 seconds. Nigeria’s Kanyinsola Ajayi equalled his national record of 9.84 seconds to win the men’s 100m ahead of world champion Oblique Seville. World record holder Karsten Warholm dominated the men’s 400m hurdles with the fastest time of the year, 46.61 seconds, while Olympic champion Alison dos Santos was absent.
American Rai Benjamin won the men’s 400m in a personal best 44.05, and rising star Ja’kobe Tharp, 20, captured the 110m hurdles in 12.89 after setting a world record last month.
Olyslagers and Jackson impress
Australia’s Nicola Olyslagers cleared 2.01m to set a new world-leading mark in the women’s high jump, edging Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh. In the women’s discus, American Cierra Jackson produced the performance of her career with a final-round throw of 71.72m, improving her personal best by nearly four metres and setting a new Diamond League record ahead of double Olympic champion Valarie Sion.