Latest news with #fourminutemile
France 24
3 days ago
- Sport
- France 24
Kipyegon says a woman will run a sub-four minute mile
The Kenyan came up short in her specially arranged attempt in June to become the first woman to smash through the four-minute barrier, clocking 4min 06.42sec in Paris. "My goal was to be the first woman to run under four minutes in the mile. I would say I didn't do what I wanted to do, but it sent a message that it is possible one day," Kipyegon told reporters in a roundtable interview released on Thursday, ahead of next month's World Championships in Tokyo. "If it does not come my way, it will be someone one day," the 31-year-old added. Kipyegon, a three-time Olympic gold medallist, said that history-making goal gets her out of bed in the morning. "I believe there will be a woman running under four minutes in the next generation or in our generation. and that's why I keep going, keep training," she said. "I have achieved a lot, all the medals, the Olympics and world championships, but I still have a drive, I still want to show that women are capable of doing what we have to do in this world, that we have got this and we need to do it." The indefatigable Kipyegon bounced back within days of her mile attempt disappointment, setting a world 1500m record of 3:48.68 at the Prefontaine Classic Diamond League meeting in Eugene. Tokyo will be the first championships where World Athletics will administer a new gender test and the Kenyan said she welcomed its introduction. "It is all about women and I am OK about it," she said. She also admitted she was already eyeing a move up to the marathon. "It will be soon," she said. "I am not getting young any more. I will announce soon, but not now." © 2025 AFP
New York Times
26-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Faith Kipyegon falls short in attempt to break four-minute mile
Olympic Champion Faith Kipyegon ran 4:06.92 at Stade Charlety in Paris, France on Thursday to fall short in her bid to become the first woman to break the four-minute mile. The time was the fastest over the distance recorded by a woman — quicker than her 4:07.64 world record from Monaco two summers ago — but was not the sub-four which Nike had hoped and planned for. Advertisement This will not be ratified as a world record, however, under World Athletics conditions — this was known in advance because of the bespoke spikes Kipyegon wore, that were unverified by the governing body, and the fact that the event was not licensed by them. Kipyegon, 31, was paced by 13 athletes, including USA's Grant Fisher and Cooper Teare, and Great Britain's Jemma Reekie and Georgia Hunter-Bell — the latter two dropped out at 800m. They ran in a specific formation to try and create an air pocket for the Kenyan to sit in and manoeuvre around the bends. She raced in a bespoke spike and speed suit which was created specifically for this event, with matching arm sleeves, leg sleeves and a headband. Nike had called it a 'moonshot,' naming the project Breaking4. Conditions were good and Kipyegon stayed on pace for just about the first 800m, opening with a 60.02 first lap and splitting 2:00.75 at halfway. That had her a touch outside four-minute pace, and the Kenyan was visibly struggling by 1,000m, which she went through in 2:30.68. Kipyegon was not out of it with one lap to go. She hit the bell at 3:01.84, one and a half seconds off the target, but the Olympic and World Champion has a reputation for finishing fast. The pacing strategy switched in the final lap, with a group of five pacers carrying her through — including 6ft 2in Stewart McSweyn of Australia, about a foot taller than Kipyegon, being on her outside right shoulder as a wind shield. Kipyegon faded to finish in 4:06.92, with a last lap of just over 65 seconds. Her training partner and mentor, Eliud Kipchoge, was holding the tape for her to break. 'Exhausted. I'm tired, I feel good that I've tried,' she said after. 'I've proven that it's possible, it's only a matter of time. If it's not me it will be somebody else — one day a woman will run under four.'
