British star and Olympic 1,500m silver medalist Josh Kerr set a new course record at the New Balance Fifth Avenue Mile, clocking 3:44.3. The Scotsman, fresh off his Olympic campaign, beat the long-standing record of 3:47.52 set by Sydney Maree in 1981.
“I said to the meet director beforehand, I took Sydnee Maree’s NCAA (1,500m) record off him in 2018 when I was running for the University of New Mexico,” Kerr said. “I know how hard that was when that was the time. It was a nice, nostalgic moment trying to go after his record today. He’s one of the most successful 1,500m runners in the world’s history. Those are the kind of times I’m going after.”
Kerr’s race strategy was on point from the start. Eric Holt and Cathal Doyle led the early pace, battling for the $1,000 halfway prime, while Kerr patiently waited for his moment. Kerr surged soon after, pulling away from the pack.
By the three-quarter mark, Kerr had built a sizable lead, with only Hobbs Kessler in pursuit. However, Kessler faded in the final quarter, ultimately finishing ninth in 3:52.1.
Kerr crossed the line unchallenged, breaking the previous 43-year-old record.
“I’m fit and healthy. I was really looking forward to this race and it makes a big difference coming into these things,” Kerr said about his race. “I knew no one’s going to get better conditions than a tail wind and a sunny day in New York.”
Josh Hoey, an 800m specialist with a 1:43.80 personal best this season, was the unexpected runner-up, finishing in 3:48.9. Kenyan Amon Kemboi took third in 3:49.3, with Vince Ciattei and Germany’s Robert Farken rounding out the top five in 3:50.6 and 3:51.9, respectively.
Despite being a newcomer to the event, Hoey was familiar with the course. “I’ve come up to watch it a bunch of times. When Kerr took it from the halfway point I knew it was going to be tough. I was ready to cover and really focused on those last 400 meters,” he said.
Out of the 19 men in the field, 17 managed to break the four-minute barrier. Doyle, who won the halfway prime, finished in 3:52.2, placing eighth.
