Josh Kerr targets 1,500m world record following Diamond League mile triumph
Scottish athlete Josh Kerr has set his sights on breaking the long-standing 1,500m world record after shattering the mile benchmark at the London Diamond League.
The 28-year-old ran a staggering three minutes 42.66 seconds on Saturday to eclipse Moroccan Hicham El Guerrouj’s 1999 mile record.
He secured victory comfortably ahead of Yared Nuguse and Jake Heyward in front of a jubilant crowd at the London Stadium.
Chasing an enduring legacy
Now, the 2023 world champion is aiming to dismantle another of El Guerrouj’s historic athletic achievements.
The Moroccan’s 1,500m time of 3:26.00 has remained untouched since 1998, but recent track performances suggest it may finally be under severe threat.
During his record-breaking mile run, the two-time Olympic medallist clocked a 1,500m split of 3:27.51, which shaved three-hundredths of a second off his own British record.
Striking while the iron is hot
Writing in a newspaper column, the Scottish distance runner revealed his immediate ambitions caused some mild friction at home.
“I was soon in a spot of trouble with my wife, Larimar, when she woke up and I said ‘It’s on’ in reference to Hicham El Guerrouj’s world 1,500m record of 3min 26.00sec.”
“She said: ‘Can you just give us 12 hours before you set another goal?’ I was like: ‘I could, but the iron’s hot.'”
He believes that momentum is crucial in modern athletics, noting that halting personal ambition inevitably leads to a decline in performance.
Commonwealth Games take priority
The immediate focus for the track star will be competing on home soil at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow this week.
Following that prestigious event, a specifically targeted attempt at a remaining Diamond League meeting appears the most likely scenario for his historic bid.
“We have not made any decisions yet – and things would have to be put in place with the right 1,500m race – but I do think that it is in the legs.”