How close did Faith Kipyegon come to breaking the 4-minute mile?
Triple Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon came heartbreakingly close to history on Thursday at Stade Charléty in Paris, clocking 4:06.42 in a mile race that pushed the limits of human endurance. With this performance, she shattered her previous world record of 4:07.64 by more than a full second, slicing 1.22 seconds off the mark. Though she missed the elusive sub-4-minute mile by just 6.42 seconds, her run further solidified her status as one of the greatest athletes in middle-distance running.
Backed by Nike’s “Breaking4” project, modeled after Eliud Kipchoge’s famous sub-two-hour marathon, Kipyegon had everything in her corner: precision pacemakers, high-tech pacing lights, and aerodynamic gear, including custom-designed Victory Elite FK shoes. Despite the support, breaking one of the sport’s most iconic barriers proved just out of reach. “I tried to be the fastest woman under four minutes, I’ve proven it’s possible, it’s only a matter of time,” said Kipyegon. “If not me, someone else.”
What makes Faith Kipyegon’s attempt historic?
No woman has ever cracked the 4-minute mile. The milestone, first conquered by Britain’s Roger Bannister in 1954 with a time of 3:59.4, has since been achieved by nearly 2,000 male athletes. Yet for women, it remains untouched. Kipyegon, a three-time Olympic gold medallist in the 1500m (2016, 2021, 2024) and four-time world champion, winning 1500m titles in 2017, 2022, 2023, and a 5,000m title in 2023, is rewriting the narrative around what women in track can accomplish.
Running the final lap in blistering conditions after hitting the bell at 3:01.84 meant Kipyegon would need to clock a final 400m split of under 58 seconds, an extremely difficult task even under ideal conditions. Her effort was witnessed and celebrated by none other than Eliud Kipchoge, her long-time training partner and the only man to run a marathon in under two hours.
What’s next for Kipyegon after this groundbreaking run?
Despite missing the mark, Kipyegon walked away energized by the experience and the message it sent to aspiring athletes. “I’m so grateful for today. I gave everything. It was not easy, as I said when I was preparing for it. But I wanted to prove to the world that everything is possible,” she reflected. The 31-year-old hinted that this was just the beginning, saying, “This was the first trial. I’ve learned many lessons from this race… There’s more in the tank.”
By Yockshard Enyendi
