Josh Kerr Sets New Mile World Record By 0.47 Seconds
Some records seem impossible to touch until someone finally proves they are not. Josh Kerr did exactly that after breaking the men's mile world record, ending one of track and field's longest standing marks.
Running in front of a home crowd in London, Kerr finished the mile in 3:42.66, taking 0.47 seconds off the previous world record that had stood since 1999. The performance also beat his own personal best by nearly three seconds and made him the first British man to hold the mile world record since Steve Cram in 1985.
Kerr had spent months building his training around a goal he called Project 222, aiming to become the first runner to finish the mile in under 223 seconds. Crossing the line in 222.66 seconds turned that target into reality and earned him a $50,000 bonus for setting the new record.
World records that last nearly three decades are rare, which makes this one stand out even more. It is the kind of run that instantly becomes part of track and field history.
