Josh Kerr destroys field in tactical mile race at Commonwealth Games

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The great Scottish poet Robbie Burns’ best-known poem may have been “My Heart’s in the Highlands,” where he waxed about chasing deer. Saturday, if he were alive today, perhaps he would write about the Glasgow Commonwealth Games mile. Kerr’s heart’s in Glasgow, chasing gold.

Josh Kerr, just two weeks removed from his world-record mile in London, was back at it on Saturday. This time, however, the race would be very different. Instead of pacemakers and the WaveLight technology used throughout the Diamond League circuit, this was a tactical championship race in front of a hometown crowd.

Kerr lined up against a quality field that included Australian Ollie Hoare, Kenyan Timothy Cheruiyot, Englishman Jake Wightman and young Aussie Cameron Myers. A total of 13 athletes took to the start line.

The race opened at a cautious, tactical pace with Kerr and Cheruiyot buried deep in the pack. There was jostling for position on multiple occasions, twice, nearly sending Kerr to the track. At one point, Canada’s Foster Malleck was forced off the track and into the infield.

With 300 metres remaining, Kerr, Cheruiyot and Brian Komen swung wide and surged to the front of the field. Komen briefly challenged before fading as Kerr seized control.

Kerr broke the race open with fewer than 200 metres remaining, extending his advantage with every stride as he charged down the home straight in front of an appreciative Glasgow crowd.

Myers held on for second, while Cheruiyot fended off the chasers to claim bronze.

Kerr continues to demonstrate world-class form.

He crossed the line in 3:54.12. Twenty-year-old Myers earned the silver medal in 3:55.26, while Kenya’s Cheruiyot took bronze in 3:55.41. All 13 competitors finished under four minutes.

The last time the mile was run in the Commonwealth Games was at the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Kingston, Jamaica, where Kenya’s Kip Keino won in 3:55.34. England’s Alan Simpson was second in 3:57.27, with New Zealand’s Ian Studd taking bronze in 3:58.61.

That race came 12 years after Roger Bannister became the first man to break the four-minute barrier, recording his historic hand-timed 3:59.4.

Kerr was just two weeks after setting a world record. During the London Diamond League meet he clocked a 3:42.66 to better Moroccan Hicham El Gerrouj’s 27-year-old record. El Gerrouj set the world record at 3:43.13 in Rome in 1999.

Men’s Mile

Final 1