2025 REVIEW: Faith Kipyegon's medal-laden year on the track punctuated by near misses
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Reading Time: 2min | Fri. 26.12.25. | 14:51
She is expected to chase more world records in the 2026 season, even as more fans expect her to focus on the 5000m
Triple Olympic and five-time world champion Faith Kipyegon continued to redefine consistency and excellence in the 2025 season, in yet another record and medal-laden year on the track, mixed with near misses, for the middle-distance running 'queen'.
Kipyegon extended her global dominance by sealing a historic fourth 1500m world title in Tokyo in 3:52.15, the second-fastest winning time in the history of the World Championships.
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She now owns three of the four fastest winning times recorded at the event and is the first woman to win four world titles in the 1500m.
Her compatriot Dorcas Ewoi, who was rewarded with a silver medal and a PB of 3:54.92 at her first World Championships, achieving a Kenyan 1-2 for the first time in the 1500m, credited her achievement to the global icon as she chased Kipyegon down the stretch to deny Jessica Hull.
Kipyegon had a strong season right from the start as she narrowly missed the world 1000m record in April, clocking 2:29.21 at the Wanda Diamond League (DL) in Xiamen, missing Svetlana Masterkova's 28-year-old world record of 2:28.98 as the DL season got underway.
She had a quiet two months before returning to action at the Prefontaine Classic, where she shattered her own 1500m world record for the third time, clocking an astonishing 3:48.68. With that, she became the first woman under 3:49.
In August, the three-time Olympic champion came within a second of breaking the 32-year-old 3000m world record. She triumphed in Silesia in 8:07:04, missing the 8:06:11 mark set by 1996 Olympic 5000m champion, China's Wang Junxai, on 13 September 1993.
She broke the DL, African and national records with the performance, which made her the only woman to finish within five seconds of Junxia’s long-standing mark.
In September, she won her fourth 1500m world title and placed second to compatriot Beatrice Chebet in the 5000m final, for silver.
The 31-year-old concluded her competitive season with yet another victory at the Athlos Games in New York, running the fastest mile ever on U.S. soil in 4:17.78.
In keeping up with her legendary status, Kipyegon followed in the footsteps of one of her training mates and mentors, Eliud Kipchoge, and went for the mile record in an exhibition event dubbed 'Breaking4'.
She produced a sensational 4:06.42 mile, the fastest performance ever recorded over the distance.
“I tried,” said the 31-year-old. “I tried to be the first woman to run under four minutes. It’s only a matter of time before it happens – if not me, then maybe someone else. I will not lose hope; I will still go for it.”
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