Last night in Paris, Faith Kipyegon reminded the world exactly why she’s a running legend. Faith Kipyegon, 31, set her sights on becoming the first woman to run a sub-four-minute mile. She narrowly missed it with a 4:06.42 finish, but still ran the fastest mile ever by a woman.
Faith took on the challenge at Nike’s ‘Breaking4‘ event in Paris, backed by perfect conditions, cutting-edge kit and a team of top pacers. She aimed to run sub-60 second laps (roughly 15 miles per hour) which is mind-blowing. She was running in a sleek aerodynamic skinsuit, custom-designed spikes and tracked by the futuristic Wavelight pacing system.
A Record-Breaking Pace… Almost
By lap three, Faith was ahead of world record pace, hitting 3:01.84. The final 400 metres proved just a bit too much, but she still crossed the line with the fastest mile ever run by a woman, before collapsing into the arms of Eliud Kipchoge, the man who broke the two-hour marathon.
What makes this even more amazing is how far Faith has come. Long before the medals and the hi-tech shoes, she used to run barefoot to school in rural Kenya. She’s now a three-time Olympic 1500m champion and holds seven global titles. She set the official women’s mile world record at 4:07.64 in Monaco last year. No one else has come close since.
“We Are Not Limited” – Faith’s Message to the World
After the race, Faith said, “I have proven that it is possible, it is only a matter of time. If it is not me, it will be somebody else. I will not lose hope, I will still go for it.”
Faith shared a powerful message with her daughter and girls everywhere: “We are not limited.” We can limit ourselves with thoughts, but it is possible to try everything and prove to the world that we are strong. Keep pushing.”
Honestly, how can you not feel completely fired up after that?
Over 70 years after Roger Bannister’s iconic sub-four mile, seeing a woman get this close feels truly special. When Diane Leather ran a sub-five mile in the same month as Bannister’s run back in 1954, it changed everything. Faith Kipyegon is doing exactly that again for a whole new generation.
She didn’t break the barrier this time, but she’s brought something once thought impossible right into view. Let’s be honest, she’s just getting started.
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