Star girl Kipyegon reveals her world record ‘secret’

Friday 2 June will forever be edged in Kenyans, and by extension the athletics world, as a historical day thanks to Faith Kipyegon’s exploits at the Florence Diamond League.

The world witnessed the first woman, Kipyegon, run the mile in under 3:50 minutes. To put this into perspective, her time of 3:49.11 to set a new world record, would have won the men’s 1500m at the Rio Olympics final won by Matthew Centrowitz in 3:50.00.

In an interview with World Athletics after her exploits, the 29-year-old admitted that she had vowed to take things slow with her attempt on the world record, saying breaking it in Florence came as a surprise.

Record breaking Faith Kipyegon dedicates historic feat to all mothers in emotional message

“I wanted to go gradually, slowly, slowly, to see what was possible this year and the world record just came as a surprise. I am still looking forward to the World Championships and I really thank my coach for giving me the tactics to run today and see what is possible,” she told World Athletics.

The two-time Olympic and world champion is the odd athlete out in a large training group focused on the marathoners, since joining the group in 2019, but she said she enjoyed both the challenge and the camaraderie she found in the camp.

“I am training with marathoners and I normally say that one day I will run a marathon but now I have achieved what I wanted, what was in my heart and my mind and I’m still heading towards Budapest and I still want to run faster than 3:49.

Since I joined coach Patrick Sang and Eliud Kipchoge, I have done really, really different training. They are doing long runs and fartlek and track sessions and this has helped me,” she revealed.

She says that the longer training has given her new strength which she will apply again in Monaco, where she came so near to breaking the world record last year, falling just 0.3 short (3:50.37) of Genzebe Dibaba’s 2015 standard.

“That (her performance in Monaco) was really motivating me,” she said. “I went back home knowing that everything was possible. I did not lose hope, I still worked hard, waking up every morning knowing that everything is possible, breaking the world record, defending my world title in Budapest, and that is what I have started, so I am looking forward.

I am hoping for the best as well in Monaco. I am going to run my race and focus on the finish line,” she added further opining that the legacy she is creating is not only for herself, but also for her family, particularly her daughter.