Triple Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon is set for a huge Sh13 million payday should she dip under four minutes in the Mile at the Charlety Stadium in Paris Thursday evening.
Dubbed 'Breaking4', the race is more than just a run; it's a calculated assault on one of female middle-distance running's most elusive marks.
The initiative, spearheaded by her sponsors Nike, has been backed by the newly launched women-only track and field league ATHLOS, which has placed a Sh13 million ($100,00) incentive on the line for the 31-year-old Kenyan.
Kipyegon is the current record holder over the distance, a 4:07.64 she clocked at the Monaco Diamond League in 2023.
“Should Faith make history, ATHLOS will pay the queen her dues. All eyes on sub-four,” read a statement from the league, founded by techpreneur Alexis Ohanian.
“We’ve got $100K on Kipyegon to break the world record! And you better believe we’ll wire it swiftly, just like we did for our ATHLOS athletes last year,” Ohanian added via social media.
Kipyegon featured in the inaugural meeting last year in New York, clocking 4:04.79, pocketing Sh7.8 million.
To etch her name deeper into athletics folklore, Kipyegon must slash a staggering 7.65 seconds off her record, a daunting task even for a generational talent.
Kipyegon said recently that a sub-four mark would cement her status as the all-time great middle-distance female athlete.
"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 this, she 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," she revealed.
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.
Paris is a fitting venue for this record-breaking quest. It’s where Kipyegon set the 1,500m world record (3:49.04) in 2023.
She posted a world record of 14:05.20 in the 5,000m, only to see the mark surpassed weeks later by Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay (14:00.21) at the Prefontaine Classic.
It was also in the French capital, at the Olympic Games, that Kipyegon won her third successive 1,500m gold in a blistering 3:51.29, shattering her then Olympic record in the process.
Support has been pouring in from home and international athletes alike.
Olympic 1,500m silver medallist Jessica Hull of Australia termed Kipyegon's attempt as a game-changer.
"I think this is changing the whole sport. It’s forcing us all to think bigger. It sends this message that you don’t know what’s possible until you try," Hull told Athletics Weekly.
On the home front, marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge, world champions Hellen Obiri, Mary Moraa, Beatrice Chebet, and steeplechaser Faith Cherotich, have all backed their compatriot.
"Kipyegon has accomplished nearly everything there is in the world of athletics. The only frontier that now remains is breaking barriers, and she continues to pursue them with the same passion and excellence that has defined her remarkable career spanning over a decade," Cherotich shared on her socials.
"Wishing you all the best in your attempt to go sub-four in the mile. Thanks for the courage and for inspiring all women to dare to dream," Chebet shared.
