Elliot Giles Sets New Road Mile World Record in Dusseldorf Victory

Britain’s Elliot Giles has etched his name into the history books, setting a new road mile world record of three minutes 51.3 seconds at the New Balance KO Meile in Dusseldorf. The Olympic 800m semi-finalist held off a fierce challenge from U.S. middle-distance star Yared Nuguse, who finished a close second with a time of 3:51.9—also inside the previous record.

Both athletes shattered the former record of 3:56.13, set by American Hobbs Kessler at the 2023 World Road Running Championships in Riga. Nuguse, fresh off a bronze medal in the men's 1500m at the Paris Paralympics, pushed Giles to the line, but the Briton's late surge secured him the world record and a memorable victory.

Remarkably, both Giles and Nuguse also surpassed the pending mark of 3:54.6, set earlier this year by Kenya's Olympic 800m champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi. Giles' triumph cements his place among the elite of middle-distance running, adding this road mile record to his growing list of achievements.

While the men’s mile track world record of 3:43.13, set by Morocco’s Hicham El Guerrouj in 1999, still stands, Giles' best time on the track is now just 0.33 seconds slower, at 3:51.63. The road mile, which was only officially recognised as a world record event in the last year, has quickly become a hotly contested distance, with Giles now holding the crown.

The road mile has a long and storied past, particularly in events like the prestigious Fifth Avenue Mile in New York. Although ineligible for world record recognition, the race has seen blistering times over the years, including Sydney Maree’s course record of 3:47.6 set in 1981. Josh Kerr, another British middle-distance star, ran 3:47.9 at last year’s edition, while Britain’s Laura Muir holds the women’s record with 4:14.8 from her 2022 win.

Giles' performance in Dusseldorf not only highlights his versatility across distances but also sets him up as one of the key figures in the future of British middle-distance running. With this latest world record under his belt, attention now turns to what more the 29-year-old can achieve as he continues his outstanding season.