Table of Contents
- Faith Kipyegon Breaking4 attempt to become the first female in history to run a sub-four-minute mile failed on Thursday
- The 31-year-old Olympic champion, clocked four minutes 06.42 seconds at Stade Charlety in Paris
- This was 1.22 seconds quicker than her world record but six seconds more into her time that denied her a chance to make history as the first female athlete to run a mile in under four minutes
Faith Kipyegon Breaking4 attempt to become the first female in history to run a sub-four-minute mile failed on Thursday.
The 31-year-old Olympic champion clocked four minutes 06.42 seconds at Stade Charlety in Paris in her quest to make history in the Nike-sponsored sub-four-minute-mile run.
This was 1.22 seconds quicker than her world record, but six seconds more into her time that denied her a chance to make history as the first female athlete to run a mile in under four minutes.
Her current world record of 4:07.64, which she set in Monaco in July 2023 , is nearly five seconds ahead of any other female runner in history running the women’s mile.
It gave her a new perspective about her potential, and she set her focus on doing bigger things on the global athletics stage.
Faith Kipyegon Breaking4 Attempt
Kipyegon was equipped with an aerodynamic skinsuit and custom-made spikes in her mission that aimed at breaking sub-60-second laps, an equivalent of approximately 15 miles or 24 kilometres an hour.
Faith Kipyegon training in Xiamen, China. Photo/Faith Kipyegon
Thirteen pacemakers, including the British Olympic 1500m bronze medalist Georgia Hunter Bell, and Jemma Reekie supported her as she pursued the wavelights that followed her progress along the inside curb of the track.
Kipyegon clocked 3:01.84 on the third lap, but she slowly lost hope of attaining the benchmark in the last 400m. Faith Kipyegon Breaking4 remained a dream to achieve another day at this point.
Despite failing to clock less than four minutes in this attempt, the double Olympic champion crossed the finish tape in history’s fastest time ever by a woman.
However, this record is not official as per World Athletics regulations. It cannot be included as an official record because she used a technologically-assistive running kit and pacemakers.
Reaction to the Failed Nike Breaking4 Attempt
Speaking after the race in Paris, the multiple-time world champion said that Faith Kipyegon Breaking4 is possible to achieve in future.
“I have proven that it is possible, it is only a matter of time. If it is not me, it will be somebody else,” she told BBC.
She isn’t giving up yet on making history as the first woman athlete to run a mile under four minutes. Kipyegon will continue training and preparing to break this record in the future.
Faith Kipyegon training for Breaking4 in Paris. Photo/Faith Kipyegon
In a passionate message to her daughter, she said that the attempt to break the mile run in a sub-four is a statement that no woman is limited.
She said that human beings can change their thoughts and break barriers if they keep pushing and doing their best.
Kenyan marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge and retired British athlete Sir Roger Bannister inspired Faith Kipyegon Breaking4 attempt.
Kipchoge stunned the world in 2019 in the historic INEOS 1:59 run in Vienna, where he ran a full marathon in less than two hours.
In his words, he said that “no human is limited” and these words inspired Kipyegon to the heart.
On the other hand, Bannister ran a mile in under four minutes in 1954. His record always challenged Kipyegon.
