Track and Field Community Left Stunned Over Faith Kipyegon’s Major Announcement After Global Setback

Imagine this: Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, the track and field legend who keeps us in the loop about her journey on social media, suddenly shares something epic. Now, we’re used to Shelly-Ann posting about her incredible feats, but this time, she’s turning the spotlight on someone else. Well, she posted about a 31-year-old Kenyan athlete who’s on the verge of breaking a 70-year-old record—something no woman has ever done before.  For Shelly-Ann, a living legend, to shout this out? That’s a massive deal. Not every day you see a legend giving a high-five to another legend! But the big question is: who is that lucky athlete?

It’s Faith Kipyegon, the greatest female middle-distance runner of all time, who holds the mile record at 4:07.64. Well, now this Olympic 1500m champion is set to break new ground. This summer, in June, Kipyegon, with the support of Nike, is aiming to become the first woman to run a sub-four-minute mile. Through male pacing and advanced super shoes, Kipyegon fights to create her place in history, which women have attempted yet failed to achieve over many decades. And this all came after the major setback. What? Yes.

Recently, Faith Kipyegon was nominated for the Laureus Sportswoman of the Year award, though Simone Biles took home the win. Despite this, Kipyegon remains focused on breaking her own 1500m record—she’ll need to shave off nearly eight seconds to do so.

The four-minute mile barrier has long been one of sport’s most iconic records. The man who first broke it, Sir Roger Bannister, achieved the impossible in 1954 when he became the first person in history to run a mile in under four minutes. More than 2,000 men have managed to break that barrier since then. But despite the immense progress in the middle-distance running, no woman has been able to achieve this milestone—until now, potentially.

Kipyegon aims to break the 4-minute mile threshold with her ongoing endeavor, which has gained attention as it might reshape historical records. On June 26, Kipyegon will attempt to break the 4-minute mile barrier during the event at Stade Charléty in Paris, according to Nike, branding it “Faith Kipyegon vs the 4-Minute Mile.“  The moment Nike released their Instagram announcement featuring Faith training while demonstrating her sport through dynamic video content, fans, along with athletic legends, left comments in rapid-fire succession.

Fans stand behind a 31-year-old track and field star, Faith Kipyegon

One fan couldn’t help but gush, saying, “To chase what seems impossible is an inspiration to the world. Your courage and talent light the path for generations to come. Good luck, Faith, go inspire the world.” Another chimed in, “Let’s go!!!.” But honestly, how is it impossible? Picture this: a mom not only dominating the track and field world but breaking records while doing it. Faith Kipyegon became a mom in June 2018, had her daughter Alyn through a C-section, and took nearly two years off to focus on motherhood. But when she came back in 2019, she didn’t tiptoe back in—she hit the ground running. Her first race back? A win in the 1500m at the Eugene Diamond League. Talk about making a comeback.

From there, Faith just kept leveling up. She defended her Olympic 1500m title in Tokyo with a record-breaking 3:53.11, then broke not one, not two, but THREE world records in 2023—the 1500m in Florence (3:49.11), the 5000m in Paris, and the mile in Monaco. And if that wasn’t enough, in 2024, she won her third consecutive Olympic gold in the 1500m and set a new Olympic record of 3:51.29.

One more added, “With Faith on the starting line, the impossible is possible. Let’s go!”Another added, “She can definitely do this!” Well, yep, she can do it. One more said, “Nike athletes doing the impossible yet again.” Since 2010, Faith Kipyegon has been a Nike athlete, and Nike has been there every step of the way, helping her become the best and break records. Now, she’s setting her sights on the four-minute mile, and with Nike in her corner, she’s more than ready to make history.

Nike dedicates their total support by creating specialized athletic products for Kipyegon using state-of-the-art technology that optimizes her athletic performance. And it doesn’t stop there. Just like Eliud Kipchoge’s sub-two-hour marathon attempt, they implemented a pacing strategy that included pacemakers combined with laser pacing lights to keep  Kipyegon on track for the right speed in the entire race.

But let’s be clear, this is about more than just breaking records for Faith Kipyegon, the three-time Olympic gold medalist from Kenya’s Rift Valley. It’s a big moment for her, and it goes beyond the track. Kipyegon has spoken out against the rising gender-based violence in Kenya, including the tragic murders of athletes like Agnes Tirop. With Nike backing her, she’s not only aiming to break barriers in sport—she’s using her platform to push for change and raise awareness.

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