Triple Olympic 1,500m champion Faith Kipyegon has said that becoming the first woman in history to run a Mile race in under four minutes will cement her legacy as the greatest middle-distance runner in history.
Already the fastest woman over the Mile with a world record 4:07.64 set at the 2023 Monaco Diamond League, Kipyegon now has her sights firmly set on breaking the elusive four-minute barrier, a feat no woman has ever achieved.
In a groundbreaking announcement on April 23, her sponsors, Nike, revealed plans for a special event dubbed 'Breaking4', where Kipyegon will take on the historic challenge at Stade Charlety in Paris on June 26.
A sub-four would place Kipyegon in rarefied air, matching the pace of elite male milers—led by Morocco’s Hicham El Guerrouj, who set the men’s world record of 3:43.13 in Rome back in 1999.
Kipyegon believes that running under four minutes would cement her legacy as arguably the greatest female athlete in history. "If I can break the record, then I will have cemented my legacy. It will give hope to women that if we dream big, anything is possible," Kipyegon said.
While her body is ready, Kipyegon admitted that the greatest challenge lies in the mind.
"This is a challenge whereby…you have to think of it. You have to think about how to cross the 800m mark. How to cross the 1200 m mark? It’s a repetition of 'I have to be myself' and just think of how I will strategise to shave off those seven seconds," she noted.
Despite the magnitude of the task, Kipyegon remains undeterred. "It’s a challenge, and we are going for that challenge. Everybody is thinking of how we are going to shave these seven seconds? It’s also like me. I think the same."
Kipyegon further revealed that her coach, Patrick Sang, has not altered her training regimen.
“I didn’t change anything in terms of training. What my coach always gives me is the same workouts I’ve been doing going into the Olympics or World Championships," she said.
However, she highlighted that her mindset is different. "Going into this race, the mindset is different, but the goal is the same, dreaming of achieving what is inside me, which is breaking four.”
Paris holds a special place in Kipyegon's heart. It was at the Diamond League in the French capital where she blazed to a 3:49.04 1,500m world record in 2023 and followed it up with a stunning 14:05.20 in the 5,000m. Her mark was, however, surpassed by Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay (14:00.21) that same year at the Prefontaine Classic.
It was also in Paris at the Olympic Games where she broke her own 1,500m Olympic record by securing her third successive gold medal with a time of 3:51.29.
"I have beautiful memories of Paris. I broke the 5,000m and the 1,500m records here. I am now going for the big one, and I know the track will offer beautiful scenes. I hope I get the support to produce good results."
To aid her bold attempt, Nike has equipped Kipyegon with bespoke gear, including a state-of-the-art "Fly Suit" engineered to reduce aerodynamic drag and customised racing spikes inspired by her trusted Zoom Victory 2s.
“I tried the spikes in Xiamen in the 1000m. This feels different compared to the Zoom Victory, which I’m used to, especially in the Diamond League. They are fast shoes."
"At the same time, the material used in the suit is different from the one we are using in the Diamond Leagues. It feels so light. It feels so comfortable, it feels very friendly to the skin," she added.
As the countdown to June 26 continues, Kipyegon remains focused, determined and inspired. "It will be historic to cross the finish line and see a sub-four-minute time. It will be special because I will show the whole World that anything is possible."
