Three-time Olympic champion and world record holder Faith Kipyegon has opened up on how the marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge has been key to her success.
In a recently reshared post on her Instagram account, Kipyegon opened up about the priceless advice she once received from Kipchoge, a message that continues to shape her career and mindset.
“For me, I take a quote whereby Eliud Kipchoge told me: When you have achieved something, forget about it. It has happened and it has gone. Just focus on the next one, what is coming in.”
The three-time Olympic 1500m champion, spoke candidly about how Kipchoge’s words gave her a new lens through which to view success.
“Achieving a World Championship, Olympic title, or world record ,I just put it aside. I’m like, ‘Yeah, I’ve achieved it so far, but I still have to go for more.’ I put new things in my diary and focus on the next challenge.”
That mental reset, she says, is what keeps her grounded. It’s easy for elite athletes to rest on their laurels, but as Faith Kipyegon noted, doing so can hinder future greatness.
“If you put in your mind that you have two gold medals, a silver you won’t focus on the next championship. You’ll just forget about everything because you are Olympic champion.”
4-minute mile attempt
On 26 June in Paris, the Kenyan will aim to become the first woman to run the mile in under four minutes. In one of the interview with sponsor Nike Kipyegon revealed how Kipchoge backed her to make a statement.
“Eliud is like a computer! I don’t know who told him, but he had already read my mind. Maybe he had this thought as well, that I could try something to cement my legacy. When I told him, he told me, ‘I think you have decided on a good thing to do.”