Faith Kipyegon who has already carved her name into athletics history is now chasing one of the sport’s most elusive milestones.
The Kenyan superstar, a three-time Olympic 1,500m champion and current world record holder in both the mile and 1,500m, has set her sights on breaking the 4-minute mile barrier.
At 31, Kipyegon’s hunger for history remains undiminished. She will take her shot at the hallowed mark during a Nike-sponsored event titled “Breaking4: Faith Kipyegon vs. the 4-Minute Mile” on June 26 at Paris’s Stade Charlety, a venue where she’s previously made history.
In 2023, Kipyegon shattered the 1,500m world record on that very track. Now, she’s preparing to attempt something no woman has ever done, dip under four minutes for the mile.
“I think breaking four will really cement my legacy,” Kipyegon shared during a recent Zoom call.
“The next generation is looking up to us to show them the way, and this is what I’m doing now. Everything we do, we have to dream big and just believe in ourselves that we could do it.”
A Challenge 71 Years in the Making
It’s been 71 years since British runner Roger Bannister broke through the 4-minute barrier on the men’s side with his historic 3:59.4 in 1954. In the decades since, hundreds of male athletes have joined that exclusive club, but no woman has ever crossed the line under 4 minutes.
Kipyegon came closest in July 2023, clocking a stunning 4:07.64 at the Diamond League meeting in Monaco, setting a new world record. Now, she needs to find just over seven seconds to make history again.
“I have to be mentally strong and believe in everything I do,” she said.
“Believing in the training, believing in waking up to empower the next generation, believing in everything that has been from my younger time when I was running barefoot to where I am now.”
Not Changing the Formula
Despite the magnitude of the challenge, Kipyegon and her long-time coach Patrick Sang aren’t making drastic changes to their training routine. The formula that’s delivered Olympic golds and world records will remain intact, with a few fine-tuned preparations for race day.
“I’ll approach it in increments,” Kipyegon explained.
“It’s the repetition of, ‘I have to be myself and just think of how will I shed those seven seconds?’”
Helping fuel her ambition is the example of her close friend and mentor Eliud Kipchoge, who in 2019 became the first man to run a marathon under two hours at the INEOS 1:59 Challenge in Vienna, a feat not ratified for record purposes but celebrated globally.
“It will be lovely to see Eliud after the finish line,” Kipyegon said.
“I get positive messages from around the world that I can do it. It really motivates me a lot. I know it will not be easy, but I’m going to try my best, and we will see what the finish line offers.”
Chasing History for Herself and the Next Generation
For Kipyegon, this is about more than personal glory. It’s about proving to her daughter Alyn, and to young girls everywhere, that no dream is out of reach.
“You have to dream and just be patient for it,” she said.
“I will feel so great if I just run after that finish line and see under four minutes. It will be historical.”
And if she does it, she’ll etch her nameas one of the sport’s great pioneers, forever changing what’s possible for women in middle-distance running.