Pallade Veneta - Britain's Kerr sets new world record in men's mile

The 28-year-old US-based Scot clocked 3min 42.66sec at London Stadium to smash the previous best of 3:43.13 set by Morocco's Hicham El Guerrouj in Rome in 1999.

Kerr said the race had been "very overwhelming. There was a lot of hype".

"I am surrounded by amazing people and was just able to stay consistent, put the work in, and I knew I had 3:42 in me," he said.

"I nearly lost it there at the end but I got over the line."

Kerr has built his season around going after El Guerrouj's previous best mark.

The Scot had threatened pre-race that his body was "capable of the mark" and has spent the last eight months in dedicated training.

"I am lucky to be able to string the training together," said Kerr, based at his high altitude home in Alberqueque, New Mexico.

"It felt like I had a kitchen full of incredible chefs, and they are like, 'What the heck are we going to make?', and this is the dish I want to make, so let's go to work and get the world record."

British record holder Kerr, the Olympic 1,500m silver medallist, went into the race with a personal best of 3:45.34, sixth on the all-time list.

A two-time world indoor 3,000m winner, Kerr was paced to perfection by his training partner Brannon Kidder and Slovenian Zan Rudolph.

Olympic bronze medallist Yared Nuguse, the North American record holder and fourth in the all-time mile list, clung on to Kerr until the final 200 metres.

- 'Incredible' last lap -

The Scot then put on the afterburners in front of a near 60,000-capacity crowd at a raucous stadium built for the 2012 London Olympics.

He roared through the line, punching the air in ecstasy, the exultant crowd on their feet in a deafening welcome for their new hero.

"The last lap was incredible," Kerr said. "I was deaf in the last 110 metres!"

Before El Guerrouj installed himself as world record holder, British milers were an institution on the track.

Roger Bannister was the first man to run a sub-4min mile in 1954.

Then came middle-distance legends Steve Ovett, Sebastian Coe and Steve Cram, who dominated the event from 1979-93.

"If I'm to leave my mark on this sport as a British legend, with the legends behind me and following in their footsteps, I have to put in those performances," Kerr said.

"Those performances take every single part of you, every single part of your team, and the amount of work behind the scenes for me is incredible.

"Today it was a performance I was able to bring out - I just hoped it would be a little bit faster!"

World Athletics president Coe was on hand to present Kerr with a cheque for $50,000 and a book on winning milers.

O.Pileggi--PV