Nine days after trying to become the first woman to run a mile in under four minutes, Faith Kipyegon set a world record. At the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon, on 5 July 2025, she ran the 1500 metres in 3:48.68, lowering her own record. It was the latest proof that she is one of the greatest middle-distance runners in history.
Barefoot beginnings
Kipyegon grew up in Kenya’s Bomet County, in the Rift Valley, a region famous for producing runners. She began running at school and competed barefoot in her early races. She won the world junior cross country title as a teenager and quickly rose to senior level.
Three Olympic golds
Kipyegon won the 1500m at the Rio Olympics in 2016, at Tokyo in 2021 and at Paris in 2024. She became the first woman to win the Olympic 1500m title three times in a row.
Comeback after motherhood
In 2018 she took a break to have a daughter. Many wondered whether she would return to her best. She came back stronger, winning world titles and breaking records. She has spoken about running as a mother and about the support she received.
World records
In 2023, Kipyegon broke world records at 1500m, the mile and 5000m within weeks of each other, an extraordinary run. In 2024 she lowered the 1500m record to 3:49.04 in Paris, and in 2025 to 3:48.68.
Breaking4
On 26 June 2025, at the Stade Sébastien Charléty in Paris, Kipyegon attempted to become the first woman to run a mile in under four minutes, in a Nike project called Breaking4. With male pacemakers and special conditions, she ran 4:06.42. She missed the target but ran faster than any woman before. Because of the pacing, the time was not eligible as an official record.
Calm and consistency
Kipyegon is known for her calm demeanour and her powerful finishing kick. Rivals often know she will be with them at the bell and then pull away in the final lap.
A Kenyan icon
In Kenya, Kipyegon is one of the country’s most admired athletes. Her success alongside other Kenyan women, such as Beatrice Chebet, has helped shift attention towards women’s distance running in a country long celebrated for its male runners.
She did not break four minutes in Paris. She came closer than anyone thought possible, then went home and broke a world record nine days later. Few athletes respond to a missed target like that.
