Kerr's Mile Assault Takes Center Stage At London Diamond League

By Kit Holden for DyeStat/RunnerSpace

Ken Martinez Photo

British middle-distance star Josh Kerr will attack one of the longest-standing world records in track and field in the men’s mile at the London Diamond League this Saturday.

Kerr, 28, has set his sights on Hicham El Guerrouj’s world record of 3:43.13, which has stood unchallenged since 1999.

The Scottish runner announced the attempt back in March and has since built his entire season around Saturday’s race in what he and his team have coined “Project 222”.

To beat El Guerrouj’s record, Kerr will need to reach or get close to a time of 3:42, which amounts to 222 seconds. 

It is set to be of the boldest world record attempts ever made at a Diamond League meeting, with Kerr aiming to shave more than two seconds off his own current personal best.

Kerr set a British record of 3:45.34 at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene two years ago, beating Jakob Ingebrigtsen in what was his last Diamond League victory to date.

World champion in 2023 and Olympic silver medalist in 2024 over 1500 meters, he currently sits sixth in the all-time list for the men’s mile. 

The British star is hoping custom spikes and home advantage can give him the edge in London, where he finished second in the men’s 1500 meters last year behind Kenyan teenager Phanuel Koech. 

While Kerr is confident he can break the world record in London, even victory would be an impressive feat against a world-class field. 

Among those lining up alongside him on Saturday is the USA’s Yared Nuguse, who is one of only four men to have gone below 3:44 in the mile. 

Here’s what else to look out for at the Novuna London Athletics Meet this weekend…

Don’t miss   

The London line-up promises world-class match-ups across the board, but few races are sprinkled with quite as much stardust as the women’s 200 meters. 

Olympic 100-meter champion Julien Alfred heads into the race as favourite after she clocked the third-fastest time in history with 21.51 in Monaco last Friday.

She faces a formidable field in London, which includes fellow Paris 2024 gold medallist Gabby Thomas, two-time Olympic champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo and British favourites Amy Hunt and Dina Asher-Smith. 

Thomas has already run 21.70 this season and finished a respectable third on her return to Diamond League action in Monaco. 

One to watch

Nigeria’s Kayinsola Ajayi enjoyed an unforgettable Diamond League debut at the Prefontaine Classic earlier this month, beating world champion Oblique Seville with 9.84 in the 100 meters.

Ajayi is set to face Seville again in London in what will be a higher-stakes and higher profile race.

Unlike in Eugene, where the 100 meters was an additional event, Saturday’s contest will be part of the main program with valuable Diamond League points on the line. 

For Ajayi, it is another chance to challenge the world champion and cement his new position among the global elite of men’s sprinting. 

Who’s in form?

Kenya’s Emmanuel Wanyonyi returns to familiar ground in the 800 meters, just eight days after he broke the world record in the 1,000 meters in Monaco. 

Mondo Duplantis is also in world-record-threatening shape as he returns to London for the first time in eight years, having narrowly missed out on 6.32 meters in both Monaco and Budapest over the past week. 

Diamond League long jump champion Larissa Iapichino set a new Italian record of 7.12 meters in Eugene.

Americans in action

With world champion Collen Kebinatshipi absent this time, both Jacory Patterson and Rai Benjamin will both fancy their chances of victory in the men’s 400 meters.

Nuguse is one six American racers in the men’s mile, including Diamond League debutants Simeon Birnbaum and Ethan Strand. 

Thomas is joined on the 200-meter startlist by Anavia Battle and Cambrea Sturgis, while Jordan Anthony takes on Seville and Ajayi in the 100 meters. 

The 110-meter hurdles sees another clash between world record holder Ja’Kobe Tharp, world champion Cordell Tinch and in-form rivals Trey Cunningham and Jamal Britt, both of whom broke 13 seconds for the first time this season. 

Brit-watch

The 50,000-strong home crowd will be treated to at least one British athlete in every single Diamond League competition on Saturday.

A total of 35 British athletes line up on the Diamond League startlists, nine of whom will be making their series debut. 

Among the debutants is 21-year-old sprint prodigy Success Eduan, who was part of the 4x100 relay team that finished fourth at last year’s World Championships. 

A number of more established stars will also be flying the Union Jack in London.

Jake Wightman pushed Wanyonyi all the way in the 1,000 meters in Monaco and will line up against the Kenyan once again in the 800 meters this weekend.

Keely Hodgkinson is chasing her first win of the season in the women’s 800 meters, where she faces Femke Broeders-Bol for the very first time. 

High jumper Morgan Lake returns to London for the first time since she became the first British woman in history to clear 2.00 meters at the Diamond League Final last season.