Kipyegon credits her legendary run to relentless focus

Triple Olympic 1,500m champion Faith Kipyegon has revealed that discipline and sheer focus are the secrets behind her unmatched reign on the track.

Widely hailed as the undisputed queen of the 1,500m, Kipyegon has not lost a race over the distance since finishing second at the Rome Diamond League in June 2021, where she clocked 3:53.91 behind the Netherlands’ Sifan Hassan (3:53.63).

Since then, the 31-year-old has carved her name deeper into the history books, rewriting records and collecting medals with clinical precision. 

In 2023, she obliterated Genzebe Dibaba’s long-standing 1,500m world record of 3:50.07 with a stunning 3:49.11 at the Rome Golden Gala. 

She went even faster in 2024, clocking 3:49.04 at the Paris Diamond League to solidify her place atop the all-time list. Kipyegon’s brilliance hasn’t just been confined to her speciality. 

In June 2023, she broke the 5,000m world record in Paris, storming to 14:05.20 and toppling Letesenbet Gidey’s mark of 14:06.62. 

Although Gudaf Tsegay eclipsed that time later that year (14:00.21 at the Prefontaine Classic), Kipyegon’s versatility had been well and truly stamped.

She also shattered the Mile world record at the Monaco Diamond League, clocking an astonishing 4:07.64—yet another feather in her already overflowing cap.

This year, Kipyegon is eyeing another historic barrier: becoming only the first woman in history to run a sub-four-minute Mile at the Breaking4 event on June 26 in Paris.

Through it all, she says her unwavering discipline has been the cornerstone of her success. "I didn't know that I would be where I am today, but discipline has driven me to where I am now as Faith," Kipyegon shared on her socials.

Even before stepping onto the track, Kipyegon dreamt of being a role model.  “I have always wanted to be somebody in the community, a girl that everybody is talking about."

"What I was dreaming of and what I have pushed myself to achieve so far is because of discipline," she said. She further noted that pushing herself has been a driving force in her life. "When I started doing sports, I told myself I wanted to be a big athlete, and here I am," she said.

And indeed, here she is an icon with a glittering resume that continues to grow. She owns three Olympic 1,500m gold medals from Rio 2016 (4:08.92), Tokyo 2020 (3:53.11) and Paris 2024 (3:51.29).

She further has an Olympic silver medal in the 5,000m from the Paris Games (14:29.60), where she finished just behind world 10,000m record holder Beatrice Chebet (14:28.56). 

Kipyegon is also the reigning world champion in both the 1,500m (3:54.87) and 5,000m (14:53.88), titles she captured in Budapest in 2023. 

She previously won world 1,500m gold in London 2017 (4:02.59) and Eugene 2022 (3:52.96), as well as claiming silver in Beijing 2015 (4:08.96) and Doha 2019 (3:54.22).

Her trophy cabinet also includes a Commonwealth title from Glasgow 2014 and a World Youth gold from 2011.

Outside the track, Kipyegon holds two junior World Cross Country titles from Punta Umbria 2011 and Bydgoszcz 2013 as well as two African cross country titles in Cape Town 2012 (junior race) and Kampala 2014 (senior race).

She is the 2023 World road running bronze medallist in the Mile, having clocked 4:24.13 behind Ethiopians Diribe Welteji (4:20.98) and Freweyni Hailu (4:23.06).