Josh breaks Fifth Avenue Mile Record and Eilish strong Half, too

Monday 9th September 2024

Photo via New York Road Runners

Josh Kerr retained his Fifth Avenue Mile title in sensational style in the Big Apple on Sunday – with a new Course Record.

The Olympic 1500m silver medallist clocked a rapid 3:44.3 to take more than three seconds off the mark set by Sydney Maree at 3.47.52.

Josh himself had gone close to Maree’s 1981 Course Record 12 months ago when he won his first Fifth Avenue Mile in 3:47.9.

This year’s win was spectacular and the achievement gilded still further by the fact he raced in the Diamond League meeting in Zurich on Thursday night

And so the Scot ‘took New York’ to complete a remarkable 2024 which has seen him win gold at the World Indoor, break Steve Cram’s British Record for the mile on the track and claim silver at the Olympics while taking down Mo Farah’s 1500m British Record.

Just as pleasing in some respect was he continued recent Scottish domination in this event: Jake Wightman, Laura Muir and Jemma Reekie have all won it in recent years.

Josh finished well clear of American Josh Hoey and Kenyan Amon Kemboi. The 26-year-old now holds two of the three fastest times in the race’s history.

His fellow Scot Neil Gourley finished 16th.

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Eilish McColgan came up with a strong performance at the Great North Run.

Eilish clocked 67:45 (in the half marathon event) and was only five seconds away from the winner in a dramatic finish in poor weather.

The Scot, who returned from injury to compete for GB and NI at the Paris Olympics, placed fifth after an impressive sprint finish.

McColgan was part of a six-strong breakaway group that led throughout, but Kenya’s Mary Ngugi-Cooper and Ethiopia’s Senbere Teferi and Alemu Megertu edged ahead in the closing 400m.

It was the Kenyan who crossed the line first with a time of 1:07:40, with Terefi second and Megertu third.

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Tags: Eilish McColgan, Fifth Avenue Mile, Josh Kerr