Nice Britain’s middle-distance star Josh Kerr has set his sights on probably the most difficult information in observe and discipline, saying that he’ll try to interrupt the boys’s mile world report on the London Diamond League on July 18 as a part of “Mission 222.”
The report Kerr is chasing belongs to Morocco’s Hicham El Guerroujwho ran 3:43.13 in Rome in 1999, and has stood for greater than 25 years. Kerr is focusing on extra than simply the report—”Mission 222″ refers to his objective of working 222 seconds for the mile, a time of three:42 flat.
Kerr’s historic outcomes
The 28-year-old is already probably the most achieved milers in historical past. He received the 1,500m world title in 2023, and has received two Olympic medals within the occasion—bronze in Tokyo and silver in Paris. Kerr lately added one other international title with gold within the indoor 3,000m.
His mile private greatest of three:45.34, set on the Prefontaine Basic, is a British report and locations him sixth on the all-time record. Kerr says this report has lengthy been one thing he hoped to attain. “It’s been an enormous objective of my profession,” he informed BBC Sport. “It’s one of many oldest world information on the observe and I feel it’s probably the most vital ones.”
World Athletics Championships, Tokyo, Japan, 2025. Picture: Kevin Morris
Why now?
With no out of doors world championships on the schedule (World Athletics Championships run each two years in odd-numbered seasons), Kerr has extra freedom to design his season round a single efficiency, and he needs to do it on his dwelling turf. “It was a non-negotiable to do it within the U.Okay.,” he says. “It’s time to deliver the mile world report dwelling.” The London Diamond League meet offers Kerr a well-known setting and a house crowd for the try.
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Inside Mission 222
The occasion is a collaboration with Brooks, Kerr’s sponsor. As reported by FloTrackthe corporate is creating customized race-day gear for Kerr, together with spikes tailor-made to his biomechanics, and testing pace swimsuit ideas with the objective of enhancing his effectivity. The Brooks Analysis Lab can also be working with Kerr to develop one of the best methods round his sleep and hydration.
Kerr says the race is about embracing stress and taking an opportunity in entrance of a crowd. “It’s the hardest observe and discipline world report proper now for my part,” Kerr informed FloTrack. “And that’s stood for the longest time, and there’s a motive for that.”
