Faith Kipyegon Eyes Historic Sub-4 Minute Mile in Paris

AP | Three-time Olympic 1,500-meter champion and world record holder Faith Kipyegon is setting her sights on another historic milestone: becoming the first woman to run a mile in under four minutes.

The 31-year-old Kenyan star will attempt the feat on June 26 at the Nike-sponsored “Breaking4: Faith Kipyegon vs. the 4-Minute Mile” event at Stade Charléty in Paris. She currently holds the women’s mile world record of 4:07.64, set in Monaco nearly two years ago.

“Breaking four would really cement my legacy,” Kipyegon said during a recent Zoom call. “The next generation is watching us. We have to dream big and believe we can do it.”

Chasing the sub-four minute barrier means trimming more than seven seconds from her best time – a monumental task in middle-distance running. Yet Kipyegon and her longtime coach, Patrick Sang, are sticking to the training methods that brought her Olympic and world championship success.

Just last year, she broke her own 1,500-meter record at the same Paris track where she’ll race next week.

For Kipyegon, mental strength is just as important as physical preparation.

“I believe in everything I do,” she said. “From running barefoot as a child to where I am now, that journey fuels me every day.”

Kipyegon draws inspiration from her close friend and training partner Eliud Kipchoge, who famously ran a sub-two-hour marathon in 2019 during the INEOS 1:59 Challenge – an unofficial but iconic achievement.

Beyond the record books, Kipyegon hopes her attempt will inspire the next generation, including her young daughter, Alyn. “You have to dream,” she said. “And be patient.”

As for race day, she plans to tackle it piece by piece: “I think about the 800-meter mark, the 1,200-meter mark… and how I’ll shave off those seven seconds. If I cross that finish line and see sub-four, it will be historic.”