by Deji Ogeyingbo
Deji Ogeyingbo wrote this homage to Faith Kipyegon, who has WRs at 1,500m and the mile and held the 5,000m WR until Gudaf Tsegay took it last September.
Faith just broke her own WR in the 1,500 meters.
Thank you, Faith Kipyegon, for what you have done for the women’s middle-distances
Faith Kipyegon didn’t put Kenya on the map in the running. Among the best nations, it was already there to produce some greats who graced athletics over two centuries of being a sport. The country is famed for making the best steeplechase runners in history as it aligns with the environment and upbringing of most of the eventual stars who famously ran barefoot to school, and the sport was a life for them.
This is a story about a woman who has transcended middle-distance running in all aspects and imagination. Sports genuinely craves for a showman and superstar to be the face that inspires the next generation. Some are born that way but don’t fulfill their potential for various reasons, while others just grow to be the very best in that you can’t help but put them in the conversation of the greatest of all time. At this point, there is no iota of doubt that Kipyegon falls in the latter category.
Brilliance, poise and panache. You will run out of adjectives to use for the Kenyan. I reckon everything has been exhausting after her record-breaking 2023 season in which she broke the world record in the women’s 1500m and 5000m and became the world champion in both events. Whatever metric you want to use, this is akin to Usain Bolt’s record-breaking feats in the 100m/200m from the 2009 season, which seems to be the benchmark for greatness in Track and Field.
At this point, breaking world records seems to be par for the course for Kipyegon, who has gone on to lower her 1500m at the Paris Diamond League. On Sunday, Kipyegon pushed that level even higher. Competing on the same Stade Charléty track where she set her 5000m record last year, Kipyegon clocked an astonishing 3:49.04 at the 2024 Meeting de Paris, shaving 0.07 seconds off her world record. This incredible feat is a testament to her relentless drive and exceptional talent, continuously raising the bar in middle-distance running.
What makes Kipyegon’s achievement even more remarkable is her resilience in the face of adversity. Earlier this year, she was sidelined by a muscle injury, forcing her to withdraw from her first two Diamond League events of the season. Despite this setback, Kipyegon made a return at the Kenyan Olympic Trials on June 14, securing dominant wins in both the 1500 and 5000 meters with impressive times of 3:53.98 and 14:46.28, respectively, even at the challenging altitude of over 5,500 feet in Nairobi. Getting back to peak shape is one of the most herculean tasks for a runner, especially if just recovering from an injury.
What stands out in all this is how she inspires other runners to run fast. Stay with Kipyegon in a race, and you are almost guaranteed a new Personal Best. Australia’s Jessica Hull, who had a personal best of 3:55.97 before the race, closely followed Kipyegon for the first three laps and managed to hold on, finishing with a remarkable 3:50.83. This shattered her previous best by more than five seconds, placing her as the fifth-fastest woman in the 1500m.
2021 Olympic silver medalist Laura Muir also delivered an impressive performance. After being beaten at the British championships last weekend, Muir bounced back by taking nearly a second off her British record, finishing third at 3:53.79. Her effort highlighted the depth of talent in the race and her ability to rise to the occasion on a significant stage.
12 of the 13 finishers broke the 4:00 mark, making it the most sub-4:00 finish ever in a single race, thanks to Kipyegon. This shattered the previous record of nine sub-4:00 finishes in six different races, most recently at the Xiamen Diamond League in April.
Kipyegon’s extraordinary accomplishments have not only solidified her status as a legend in the sport but have also inspired a new generation of athletes to aim higher and run faster. Her ability to consistently break records and overcome challenges is a powerful motivation for runners worldwide, proving that dedication and perseverance can lead to groundbreaking success.
