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Hicham El Guerrouj's Historic Mile Record Finally Falls

2026-09-20 · Hicham El Guerrouj · Player Focus

Hicham El Guerrouj's long-standing world record in the men's mile, a mark that defined distance running for nearly three decades, has finally been broken. British star Josh Kerr ran a breathtaking 3:42.66 at the London Diamond League meeting in 2026, shaving 0.47 seconds off the Moroccan legend's time set in 1999.

Kerr had publicly targeted the record for months, dubbing his quest "Project 222" in a bid to become the first man to run a mile in 222 seconds. The attempt came to fruition in front of a massive home crowd of 60,000 at the London Stadium. Defying pre-race doubts, Kerr executed a perfectly paced race to not only win but to rewrite history, ending one of track and field's most iconic records.

Kerr's mile was the first of four world records set during the 2026 Wanda Diamond League season, continuing a trend of the circuit pushing the sport to new limits. In Monaco during July, Kenya's Emmanuel Wanyonyi made a spectacular shift to the 1000m. Despite never having raced the distance before, he cruised to a world record time of 2:11.83, breaking Noah Ngeny's 1999 standard. This performance revitalized Wanyonyi's season, leading him to win his next three 800m races and secure a fourth straight Diamond League title.

The season's final world record came as a surprise in Zurich. Brazil's Alison Dos Santos produced a dramatic run in the men's 400m hurdles, though the exact time was not detailed in the provided source. These record-breaking performances highlight the incredible depth and ambition present in modern athletics, where historic barriers are constantly under assault.

El Guerrouj's record had stood since July 7, 1999, a towering achievement that survived countless challenges. Its fall to Kerr, an athlete who careful planned the assault, marks a symbolic passing of the torch to a new generation. For 27 years, El Guerrouj's 3:43.13 was the ultimate benchmark for milers. Now, the conversation shifts to whether Kerr's new mark of 3:42.66 can inspire others to go even faster. The record's longevity speaks to El Guerrouj's extraordinary talent, but its breaking proves that in athletics, no feat is truly permanent.

  • Josh Kerr broke Hicham El Guerrouj's 27-year-old mile world record with a time of 3:42.66 in London.
  • Emmanuel Wanyonyi set a new 1000m world record of 2:11.83 in Monaco in July 2026.
  • The 2026 Diamond League season featured four new world records across various events.
  • El Guerrouj's original record of 3:43.13 had stood since July 1999.

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