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2026 Wanda Diamond League: London (GBR)

We're Due For A New Mile World Record At The London Diamond League Meeting, Here's Why

We're Due For A New Mile World Record At The London Diamond League Meeting, Here's Why

Josh Kerr has set his sights on the long-standing mile record with Project 222, dedicated to breaking the all-time great mark of 3:43.13.

Jul 16, 2026 by John Davern
We're Due For A New Mile World Record At The London Diamond League Meeting, Here's Why

I was lucky enough to be alive the last time the Mile World Record was set by Hicham El Guerrouj in 1999. I was a month and a day old and I’ve grown up with this record. 27 years it has stood and it may just fall this weekend.

Josh Kerr has set his sights on the long-standing record with Project 222, dedicated to breaking the all-time great mark. 222, of course, stands for 222 seconds or 3:42, which would eclipse the standing record of 3:43.13.

Kerr will make his attempt at the London Diamond League meeting on Saturday, July 18, LIVE on FloTrack at 10:36 AM ET. Coverage begins at 8:00 AM ET.

But this isn’t just another preview, you’ll read plenty of those this week - in fact make sure you go read ours. Today, I’d like to take a historical look at this very record and indulge in the last 27 years of history. In the end - I’ll tell you that we’re due.

Because we are due.

Ever since that fateful day in 1999 when El Guerrouj ran 3:43.13, and Noah Ngeny followed him through to a 3:43.40 finish - no one has come within half a second of that record.

But in the last half-decade, the all-time list has shifted dramatically and with it momentum is building.

In the last four years alone, Jakob Ingebrigtsen, Yared Nuguse, Josh Kerr, Niels Laros, and Cole Hocker have each added their names to the all-time Top 10 Mile List.

Ingebrigtsen and Nuguse have come the closest to the record - as they became the third and fourth men to ever run under 3:44 at the 2023 Pre Classic. They went 3:43.73 and 3:43.97, respectively. Then came a wave:

  • 2024 - Josh Kerr ran 3:45.34 to win that year’s Pre Classic over Jakob and Yared
  • 2025 - Niels Laros ran 3:45.94 to win the Pre Classic.
  • 2026 - Cole Hocker matched Laros’s time in an American Indoor Mile Record, 3:45.94.

In the last four years, five different men have run under 3:46.

In the previous 434 years of the mile (distance formalized in 1592), only three men had ever accomplished that feat; El Guerrouj, Ngeny and Noureddine Morceli.

After El Guerrouj, we entered a dark period, and between 2001 and 2022 only one man ran under 3:47, that was Alan Webb’s 3:46.91.

That brings me to my final point. Since Alan Webb’s time, nine men have run under 3:47. Of course, I mentioned five of them earlier - but I’d like to introduce Hobbs Kessler and Ethan Strand. They’ve run 3:46.90 and 3:46.97, respectively - and they’re both racing on Saturday.

So we’ll have four of the top nine fastest of the last two decades (excluding 2007 Alan Webb) on the same stage on Saturday; Josh Kerr, Yared Nuguse, Ethan Strand and Hobbs Kessler.

Will the Scot take the world record, or will the men in stars and stripes steal the show?

Tune in on Saturday, July 18 LIVE on FloTrack at 10:36 AM ET to find out.

The Splits To Hit

To break El Guerrouj's record, the field will need to average 55.78 seconds per lap. During Kerr's personal best run at the 2024 Pre Classic, he hit average laps of 56.335, for his final time of 3:45.34.

Hicham El Guerrouj WR Splits:

  • First Lap - 55.07
  • Second Lap - 56.51 (1:51.58)
  • Third Lap - 56.33 (2:47.91)
  • Final Lap - 55.22 (3:43.13)

Project 222 WR Splits Needed

  • First Lap - 55.50
  • Second Lap - 55.50 (1:51.00)
  • Third Lap - 55.50 (2:46.50)
  • Final Lap - 55.50 (3:42.00)

The Pacing Situation At London Diamond League 2026

Zan Rudolf and Brannon Kidder are expected to pace this year's London Diamond League Mile. Kidder is teammates with Kerr, while Rudolf is considered one of the best pacers on the Diamond League circuit.

The Full London Diamond League Mile Field

  • Mohamed Abdilaahi (GER) – 3:35.36
  • Simeon Birnbaum (USA) – 3:31.69
  • Robert Farken (GER) – 3:30.80
  • Neil Gourley (GBR) – 3:30.60
  • Nathan Green (USA) – 3:32.20
  • Jake Heyward (GBR) – 3:31.08
  • Thomas Keen (GBR) – 3:34.40
  • Josh Kerr (GBR) – 3:27.79
  • Hobbs Kessler (USA) – 3:29.45
  • Brannon Kidder (USA) – 3:35.27
  • Arlo Ludewick (GBR) – 3:33.07
  • Yared Nuguse (USA) – 3:27.80
  • Žan Rudolf (SLO) – 3:34.23
  • Ethan Strand (USA) – 3:30.25
  • Sam Prakel (USA)

Don’t Miss A Second Of The 2026 Diamond League

The Diamond League is streaming live on FloTrack and the FloSports app. FloTrack’s Diamond League coverage includes live events, replays, videos and articles throughout the season.

Where To Watch Diamond League?

The Wanda Diamond League will be broadcast on FloTrack and the FloSports app.

FloTrack Archived Footage

Video footage from each event will be archived and stored in a video library for FloTrack subscribers to watch for the duration of their subscriptions.

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