Golden girl Faith Kipyegon plotting dominant transition to marathon running

Despite being a two-time Olympic and world champion over 1500m, Faith Kipyegon believes she has more work to do before earning the tag of an athletics great. 

In an interview with Athletics Weekly (AW), Kipyegon who last year attempted to break the 1500m women's world record and still believes it is within reach has revealed that close friend and training mate Eliud Kipchoge has inspired her to go into marathon running. 

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Kipyegon trains in Kaptagat under renowned coach Patrick Sang, who is Kipchoge's tactician as well, and she admits that seeing the world record-holder at work has inspired her to tackle the classic distance in future.

"I don’t see myself as a great, yet. I need to achieve more towards the marathon and I am really looking forward to following in Eliud’s footsteps. He has already shown us the way and, training with him, I see what he does every day. I will work my way up towards the marathon in future and I will be the greatest," she told AW.

The 28-year-old that spending time mostly with marathon runners has made her see herself as one too.

"You don’t see yourself as a 1500m athlete any more but marathoner training alonside these greats. You follow them on long runs, you follow them on fartleks and you see every day what they do. It makes you feel that I need to do this.

That is motivation from Eliud, from the whole group in Kaptagat that has really inspired me to see myself in the marathon in future. When I will run one is something I cannot predict, but I want to build myself and build my commitment towards marathon. Just go step by step, through the distances, towards it.”