Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jul 18
Josh Kerr Breaks 3:43 Mile World Record at London Diamond League
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jul 18

Josh Kerr Breaks 3:43 Mile World Record at London Diamond League

3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jul 18

Summary

  • 3:42.66 gave Josh Kerr the mile world record in London, cutting 0.47 seconds from Hicham El Guerrouj’s 3:43.13 mark that had stood since 1999.
  • Project 222 drove the attempt: Kerr spent eight months targeting the record, with pacemakers Brandon Kidder and Zan Rudolf carrying him through 1,000 meters before a final-lap surge.
  • 54.75, 55.88 and 55.76-second laps put Kerr on schedule at the bell, and he pulled away from Yared Nuguse and Jake Heyward to win by three seconds.
  • The run ends the longest-standing mile world record and validates Brooks-backed custom spikes and a speed suit Kerr credited, along with his team, after the race.

Insights

Beyond the record attempt, how did Brooks' high-tech 'Project 222' change the future of running shoe innovation?
Did Josh Kerr’s bespoke super-shoe and eight months of focused training finally break the legendary 1999 mile world record?
Has the era of carbon-plated shoes made it unfair to compare modern runners to past legends of the sport?