On 18 July 2026, the men’s mile world record was broken for the first time in 27 years. It was set by British athlete Josh Kerr, who announced the date of his attempt in advance and built Project 222 around it. We explain how the idea emerged, why the previous record remained out of reach for so long, and what helped Kerr rewrite the history of the event.
The History of the Record
Roger Bannister during the mile race at the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Vancouver, 1954. Image from artphotolimited.com
One mile is equal to 1,609.34 metres. Although the distance is not part of the Olympic programme, it holds a special place in athletics. It was in the mile that Roger Bannister became the first person to break the four-minute barrier in 1954.
The world record Kerr set his sights on belonged to Morocco’s Hicham El Guerrouj. On 7 July 1999 in Rome, he completed the mile in 3:43.13. Noah Ngeny finished second in that race with a time of 3:43.40. Both athletes surpassed the previous record.
El Guerrouj’s result remained the fastest in the world for 27 years. Before Kerr’s attempt, the men’s mile record had stood unchanged for longer than at any other point in the history of the event.
What Is Project 222
In the spring of 2026, British athlete Josh Kerr announced that he would attempt to break the mile world record at the London Diamond League meeting. He called the initiative Project 222.
The name reflected the athlete’s goal: to complete the mile in 222 seconds, or 3 minutes and 42 seconds. For comparison, the previous world record stood at 3:43.13, while Kerr’s personal best was 3:45.34.
The Briton immediately set the place and date for the attempt: 18 July at the London Olympic Stadium. On his YouTube channel, he shared his training sessions, equipment testing, and the work of his team. The public announcement increased the pressure, but Kerr deliberately made it part of his preparation.
The Runner’s Preparation
Kerr spent several months training in Albuquerque, located at an altitude of around 1,600 metres. On the track, he practised his target pace of approximately 55.5 seconds per lap. During one of his key training sessions, the athlete ran four 800-metre repetitions, completing the final two in 1:50 and 1:49.
To enhance his altitude adaptation, Kerr slept in a room with reduced oxygen levels and took 222-second ice baths after demanding training sessions.
Special attention was also paid to his equipment: Brooks developed the Hyperion 222 track spikes for the athlete based on his biomechanics. The model featured a customised carbon plate and titanium spikes.
Consistency became the foundation of Kerr’s success. He regularly trained at his target pace, tested his form in preparatory races, and paid as much attention to recovery as he did to training.
Custom Brooks Hyperion 222 track spikes created for Josh Kerr’s record attempt. Image from posci.com
How Josh Kerr Broke the Mile World Record
Around 60,000 spectators watched the record attempt at the London Olympic Stadium.
Athletes Brannon Kidder and Jean Rudolph served as pacemakers (lead runners). They ran ahead of Josh at the prescribed pace of around 55 seconds per lap to help Kerr maintain that speed. He completed the first 400 metres in 55.3 seconds and reached 800 metres in 1:51.1. Once the pacemakers had guided Josh to the 1,000-metre mark, he took the lead.
The Briton reached 1,200 metres in 2:46.39 and 1,500 metres in 3:27.62, setting a new British record.
American Yared Nuguse stayed behind Kerr but began to fall back over the final part of the race. The Briton finished in 3:42.66, while the American recorded 3:45.69.
Kerr broke El Guerrouj’s record by 0.47 seconds and became the first person in history to run under 3:43. His result was 222.66 seconds: slightly slower than the Project 222 target, but fast enough for a world record.
Project 222 ended with a new world record, while Josh Kerr set a new benchmark for the mile. His result proved that even a mark that had stood for 27 years could be surpassed through a specific goal and consistent preparation.
However, every running goal begins with choosing a race. You can find yours in the IKS race calendar and view your results on the website.
