Faith Kipyegon

Kipyegon was the eighth of nine children growing up on a farm in a village near Keringet, Nakuru County in the Kenyan Rift Valley. She comes from the Kalenjin tribe. Her elder sister and former training partner Beatrice Mutai is a 10 km and half marathon specialist. Her father Samuel Kipyegon Koech was a 400 m and 800 m runner in his youth, while her mother Linah Koech also had contact with athletics. Faith was a soccer player until she was introduced to athletics at school aged 14. She lined up for a one-kilometer run in P.E. class and won that race by 20 metres. She attended Winners Girls High School in Keringet.{{Cite web |last=Mureithi |first=Francis |date=5 June 2023 |title=Leap of faith: Faith Kipyegon's meteoric rise from Keringet to the world |url=https://nation.africa/kenya/sports/athletics/leap-of-faith-faith-kipyegon-s-meteoric-rise-from-keringet-to-the-world-4258880 |access-date=5 June 2023 |website=Daily Nation}}{{Cite web |last=Komen |first=Jonathan |date=4 June 2023 |title=Faith Kipyegon: From racing barefoot to breaking world 1500m record |url=https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/health/athletics/article/2001474410/faith-kipyegon-from-racing-barefoot-to-breaking-world-1500m-record |access-date=4 June 2023 |website=The Standard}}{{Cite web |date=30 May 2016 |title=Keep the Faith |url=https://worldathletics.org/spikes/news/faith-kipyegon-new-kenyan-prodigy |access-date=2 June 2023 |website=World Athletics}}

Kipyegon is married to middle-distance runner Timothy Kitum, the 2012 Olympic 800 m bronze medallist. They have a daughter, Alyn, born in June 2018.

She trains in Kaptagat (and Kapsabet) coached since the end of 2017 by Patrick Sang, triple global 3000 m steeplechase silver medallist, who is also coaching marathon world record-holder Eliud Kipchoge.{{Cite web |date=2022-11-08 |title=Faith Kipyegon has the marathon in mind |url=https://athleticsweekly.com/athletics-news/faith-kipyegon-has-the-marathon-in-mind-1039962577/ |access-date=2022-11-08 |website=AW}}

In 2010, at age 16, a barefooted Kipyegon made her international debut at the World Cross Country Championships held in Bydgoszcz, Poland, competing against athletes up to three years her senior. She placed fourth in the women's junior race as the youngest finisher in the top 21, and earned the gold medal with her under-20 team (it was a Kenyan 1–4 sweep).{{Cite web|title=38th IAAF World Cross Country Championships 2010 – U20 Results|url=https://www.worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-cross-country-championships/38th-iaaf-world-cross-country-championships-7003364/results/women/u20-race/final/result|access-date=2020-01-01|website=World Athletics}} Later that year, she showed her track potential by finishing third in the 1500 metres at the Kenyan World Junior Championship Trials in Nairobi.

File:Faith Chepngetich Kipyegon Barcelona 2012.jpg in Barcelona.]]

Running barefoot again, Kipyegon went three better and won the individual gold medal at the 2011 edition in Punta Umbria, Spain, adding a silver with her team.{{Cite web|title=39th IAAF World Cross Country Championships 2011 – U20 Results|url=https://www.worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-cross-country-championships/39th-iaaf-world-cross-country-championships-7021583/results/women/u20-race/final/result|access-date=2020-01-01|website=World Athletics}} A few months later, she raced the 1500 m at the World Youth Championships in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France, taking the women's crown, ahead of two Ethiopian, runners with a time of 4:09.48, breaking the championship record in the process.{{Cite web|date=2011-07-09|title=IAAF World Youth Championships Lille 2011 – 1500 Metres Girls - Final|url=https://media.aws.iaaf.org/competitiondocuments/pdf/4528/AT-1500-W-f--1--.RS1.pdf?v=1260861841|access-date=2020-01-01|website=World Athletics|page=1|format=PDF}}

Her 2012 season started with a bang as, after the 800 metres race in April, she set a swift national junior 1500 m record of 4:03.82 at the Shanghai Diamond League meeting (5th) the following month. In June, the 18-year-old won the event at the Kenyan Junior Athletics Championships, and finished third at the Kenyan Olympic Trials to secure a spot on the national team for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.{{Cite web |last=Landells |first=Steve |date=6 July 2016 |title=World Junior memories – Faith Kipyegon |url=https://worldathletics.org/news/series/faith-kipyegon-world-junior-champion-1500m-ke |access-date=2 June 2023 |website=World Athletics}} At the World Junior Championships held in July in Barcelona, she ran a championship record again to claim gold in her specialist event way ahead of the field with a time of 4:04.96; Serbian Amela Terzić and Ethiopian Senbere Teferi took second and third place respectively.{{Cite web|date=2012-07-15|title=IAAF World Junior Championships Barcelona 2012 – 1500 Metres Women - Final|url=https://media.aws.iaaf.org/competitiondocuments/pdf/4872/AT-1500-W-F--1--.RS1.pdf|access-date=2020-01-01|website=World Athletics|page=1}} She placed ninth in her heat at the London Olympics in August in a time of 4:08.78 (sixth after later doping disqualifications), failing to advance to the semi-finals.{{Cite web|title=The XXX Olympic Games London 2012 – 1500m women - Heats summary|url=https://www.worldathletics.org/competitions/olympic-games/the-xxx-olympic-games-6999193/results/women/1500-metres/heats/summary|access-date=2020-01-01|website=World Athletics}}

At the beginning of the 2013 season, she defended her junior title at the World Cross Country Championships in Bydgoszcz (PL).{{Cite web|title=40th IAAF World Cross Country Championships 2013 – U20 Results|url=https://www.worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-cross-country-championships/40th-iaaf-world-cross-country-championships-2-7048505/results/women/u20-race/final/result|access-date=2020-01-01|website=World Athletics}} On 10 May at the Diamond League meeting in Doha, Qatar, she broke for the first time the 4-minute barrier in the 1500 m, clocking an African U20 and Kenyan senior record of 3:56.98. Kipyegon finished second behind Swedish runner Abeba Aregawi but beat Ethiopia's Genzebe Dibaba in third.{{Cite web|date=2013-05-10|title=IAAF Diamond League 2013 Doha (QAT) – 1500m Women - Results|url=https://static.sportresult.com/sports/at/data/2013/doha/re1130040.pdf|access-date=2020-01-01|website=static.sportresult.com|publisher=Diamond League|page=1}} In August, at the Moscow World Championships, the 19-year-old came fifth in the final in a time of 4:05.08.{{Cite web|date=2013-08-15|title=IAAF World Championships Moscow 2013 – 1500 Metres Women - Final|url=https://media.aws.iaaf.org/competitiondocuments/pdf/4873/AT-1500-W-f----.RS6.pdf|access-date=2020-01-01|website=World Athletics|page=1}}

In March, she claimed victory in the senior women's race (8 km) at the African Cross Country Championships held in Kampala, Uganda, beating the silver medallist by more than eight seconds. In May, she was a member of the team which won the gold medal in the 4 × 1500 m relay at the first IAAF World Relays in Nassau, Bahamas, along with Mercy Cherono, Irene Jelagat and Hellen Obiri. The Kenyan team, ahead of the United States and Australia, set a new world record of 16:33.58.{{Cite web|date=2014-05-24|title=IAAF World Relays Nassau (BAH) 2014 – 4 x 1500 Metres (15 laps) Women - Final|url=https://media.aws.iaaf.org/competitiondocuments/pdf/5409/AT-4X15-W-f----.RS6.pdf|access-date=2020-01-01|website=World Athletics|page=1}} That same year in July, Kipyegon took her first senior 1500 m victory, becoming the Glasgow Commonwealth Games champion in Scotland with a time of 4:08.94.{{Cite web|title=Glasgow 2014 – Athletics - Women's 1500m Final|url=http://results.glasgow2014.com/PEVU/PEVU_ATW015101.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150803053330/http://results.glasgow2014.com/PEVU/PEVU_ATW015101.html|url-status=usurped|archive-date=3 August 2015|access-date=2020-01-01|website=results.glasgow2014.com|publisher=XX Commonwealth Games}} The 20-year-old finished fifth over the distance, however, at the African Championships staged in Marrakesh, Morocco in August, clocking a disappointing 4:13.46.

File:Women's 1500 m podium Beijing 2015.jpg, at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing.]]

On 25 August, Kipyegon won a silver in the 1500 m event at the World Championships held in Beijing. After a tactical race she finished second in a time of 4:08.96 behind only then fresh world record holder Genzebe Dibaba who clocked 4:08.09. Sifan Hassan representing the Netherlands was third in 4:09.34.{{Cite web|date=2015-08-25|title=IAAF World Championships Beijing (CHN) – 1500 Metres Women - Final|url=https://media.aws.iaaf.org/competitiondocuments/pdf/4875/AT-1500-W-f----.RS6.pdf|access-date=2020-01-01|website=World Athletics|page=1}}

On 11 September, she secured her first Diamond League victory, winning the mile race in Brussels. It was a notable success as she set a meeting and African record of 4:16.71, beating Hassan who ran 4:18.20 in the final stretch.{{Cite web|date=2015-09-11|title=IAAF Diamond League {{!}} Brussels {{!}} 11 Sep 2015 – Results|url=https://www.diamondleague.com/fileadmin/IDL_Default/files/documents/2015/Brussels/Results.pdf|access-date=2020-01-01|website=Diamond League|page=13}}

Kipyegon got her Olympic campaign off to a strong start on 14 May, racing the 1500 m at the Shanghai Diamond League. She improved her own 2013 Kenyan record to 3:56.82 for the win, also setting the meeting record. Two weeks later, she repeated all these feats at the Eugene Diamond Race meet in Oregon, USA, lowering her national record to 3:56.41. She also notched up victory in the mile event at the Oslo Diamond League in June.

File:Faith Kipyegon at 2016 Rio Olympics (cropped).jpg in Rio de Janeiro.]]

The then 22-year-old became the Olympic 1500 m champion in Rio de Janeiro reversing the order from the previous year's World Championships. She outsprinted Dibaba in the final 200 m in what was initially a very slow tactical race, with a third lap in 56.80 and last 800 m in a fast 800 m races pace of 1:57.2.{{Cite web|date=2016-08-16|title=Rio 2016 {{!}} Women's 1500m Final – Race Analysis|url=https://smsprio2016-a.akamaihd.net/_odf-documents/A/T/ATW015101_RaceAnalysis_2016_08_16_df5ab359_86c9_449b_92e3_2a7bc56bcf4f.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160920164354/https://smsprio2016-a.akamaihd.net/_odf-documents/A/T/ATW015101_RaceAnalysis_2016_08_16_df5ab359_86c9_449b_92e3_2a7bc56bcf4f.pdf|archive-date=20 September 2016|access-date=17 August 2016|df=dmy-all}} Kipyegon clocked 4:08.92, Dibaba 4:10.27 and Jenny Simpson was third in 4:10.53.{{Cite web|last=Koech|first=B. M.|title=Faith Chepngetich: Gold Medalist {{!}} Athletes of Kenya|url=http://athletesofkenya.com/2016/08/17/faith-chepngetich-kipyegon-becomes-kenyas-third-gold-medallist/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160826141629/http://athletesofkenya.com/2016/08/17/faith-chepngetich-kipyegon-becomes-kenyas-third-gold-medallist/|archive-date=26 August 2016|access-date=17 August 2016}}{{Cite news|last=Phillips|first=Mitch|date=2016-08-17|title=Kenyan Kipyegon in late charge for 1,500m gold|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-olympics-rio-athletics-w-1500m-idUSKCN10S06N|access-date=2018-05-03}}

Kipyegon earned her first Diamond League 1500 m Trophy, winning three races in Shanghai, Eugene and Brussels. It was the first season of the series to feature the new championship-style system in which overall event winners are determined only by the results of the final meet. Kipyegon outsprinted her rival Sifan Hassan at the Brussels Final in September, 3:57.04 to 3:57.22.

File:Women's 1500m at London 2017.jpg in London, Kipyegon (L in red) won her first senior world title, beating, 2–5, Jenny Simpson, Caster Semenya, Laura Muir and Sifan Hassan.]]

Her best success of that year was the first place at the London World Championships in August, becoming the first Kenyan female world 1500 m champion and only the third woman in history to win both the Olympic and World Championships finals over the distance. The 23-year-old ran 4:02.59 while a further three women also recorded times below 4:03, with Jenny Simpson in second and Caster Semenya in third.{{Cite web|date=2017-08-07|title=IAAF World Championships London – 1500 Metres Women - Final|url=https://media.aws.iaaf.org/competitiondocuments/pdf/5151/AT-1500-W-f----.RS6.pdf|access-date=2020-01-01|website=World Athletics|page=1}} "I won the Olympics in 2016 but the victory at the World Championships in 2017 was sweeter because I fought the hardest. In 2016 Rio, I was only wary of Genzebe Dibaba of Ethiopia because I had a fantastic season. In London, Caster Semenya, Dibaba, Sifan Hassan, Laura Muir and Jennifer Simpson were all gold medal prospects." Kipyegon said.

At this point she decided to start a family.{{Cite web|last=Makori|first=Elias|date=11 June 2023|title=Kipyegon hopes her 'leap of faith' will offer hope to new mothers|url=https://nation.africa/kenya/sports/athletics/kipyegon-hopes-her-leap-of-faith-will-offer-hope-to-new-mothers-4265804|access-date=11 June 2023|website=Daily Nation}}

Kipyegon followed her doctor's advice and trained until she was between four and five months pregnant. She gave birth to her first child, a daughter Alyn, in June 2018 by a caesarean section due to the wrong position of her baby. Kipyegon returned to training in January 2019 after an almost 18-month break. At the end of June six months later, 12 months after the childbirth, she made her racing comeback in style, winning her specialty in 3:59:04 at the Eugene Diamond League, the Prefontaine Classic, held that year in Palo Alto.{{Cite web|last=Landells|first=Steve|date=2019-07-15|title=Back on track, Kipyegon prepares to defend world 1500m title in Doha|url=https://www.worldathletics.org/news/feature/faith-kipyegon-2019-kenya-1500m-child|access-date=2019-07-15|website=World Athletics}}{{Cite web|last=Dennehy|first=Cathal|date=21 December 2021|title=Faith Kipyegon Returned From Pregnancy Running Faster Than Ever Before|url=https://www.runnersworld.com/runners-stories/a38572560/faith-kipyegon-return-to-running-after-pregnancy/|access-date=21 December 2021|website=Runner's World}}

{{multiple image

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|image1 = Women's 1500m final at 2019 World Athletics Championships 1.jpg

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|image2 = Women's 1500m podium at 2019 World Athletics Championships.jpg

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|footer = In the 1500 m final at the 2019 Doha World Championships, Faith (L in red) lost only to Sifan Hassan, returning after giving birth in the previous year.

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Kipyegon went on to take the silver medal at the World Championships in Doha, where she chopped more than two seconds from her 2016 Kenyan record in the final with a time of 3:54.22. Sifan Hassan came first in 3:51.95 while third-placed Gudaf Tsegay set a personal best of 3:54.38.{{Cite web|date=2019-10-05|title=IAAF World Championships Doha 2019 – 1500 Metres Women - Final|url=https://media.aws.iaaf.org/competitiondocuments/pdf/6033/AT-1500-W-f----.RS6.pdf|access-date=2020-01-01|website=World Athletics|page=1}}

In 2020, she competed at the Diamond League and Continental Tour meetings staying unbeaten in all her six races. In August, she ran the second-fastest time ever, an African and Diamond League record in the 1000 metres at the Herculis meet in Monaco, with her result of 2:29.15 just 0.17 s short of the world record set back in 1996 by Svetlana Masterkova.{{Cite web|date=2020-09-10|title=Wanda Diamond League Monaco 2020 – Results - 1000m Women|url=https://static.sportresult.com/sports/at/data/2020/monaco/re1120040.pdf|access-date=2020-09-10|website=static.sportresult.com|publisher=Diamond League|page=1}}{{Cite web|last=Jeffery|first=Nicole|date=2020-08-14|title=Cheptegei breaks world 5000m record in Monaco as Diamond League action returns|url=https://www.worldathletics.org/news/report/diamond-league-monaco-cheptegei-world-record|access-date=2020-08-14|website=World Athletics}}

In 2021, Kipyegon greatly improved her 2019 Kenyan national record at the Diamond League meetings. On 10 June, she ran 3:53.91 at the Rome Golden Gala, staged in Florence, to finish second just behind Sifan Hassan who clocked 3:53.63. On 9 July at the Monaco Herculis, Kipyegon chopped nearly three seconds from that mark for a win, stopping the clock at a world-leading 3:51.07 – the fourth-fastest female performance in history at the time and just one second off Genzebe Dibaba's world record, which was also set in Monaco in 2015. She outsprinted Hassan in the home straight by about 2.5 s.{{Cite web|last=Jeffery|first=Nicole|date=2021-07-09|title=Kipyegon cruises to Kenyan 1500m record in Monaco|url=https://www.worldathletics.org/competitions/diamond-league/news/herculis-monaco-kipyegon-cheruiyot-amos-muir|access-date=2021-07-09|website=World Athletics}}

In the women's 1500 m final of the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics in August, Kipyegon overtook Hassan in the last 200 m to secure her second consecutive Olympic gold medal in the event in a time of 3:53.11, breaking the Games record which had stood for 33 years. She became the second woman in history to win back-to-back Olympic 1500 m titles. While Hassan faded in the home stretch (3:55.86 for third){{Cite web|title=The XXXII Olympic Games Tokyo 2021 – 1500 metres women - Final|url=https://www.worldathletics.org/competitions/olympic-games/the-xxxii-olympic-games-athletics-7132391/results/women/1500-metres/final/result|access-date=2022-01-01|website=World Athletics}}{{Cite web|date=2021-11-25|title=Focus on finalists: Faith Kipyegon and Ryan Crouser|url=https://worldathletics.org/awards/news/focus-finalists-faith-kipyegon-ryan-crouser|access-date=2021-11-25|website=World Athletics}}{{Cite news|last=Cacciola|first=Scott|date=2021-08-07|title=Faith Kipyegon of Kenya wins the 1,500 meters.|work=New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/06/sports/olympics/faith-kipyegon-wins-1500-meters.html|access-date=2021-10-05}}

In September, she beat Hassan again at the Zürich Weltklasse Diamond League final to take her second 1500 m Diamond Trophy. Kipyegon won nine out of her ten races of the season.{{Cite news|last=Katami|first=Michelle|date=18 December 2021|title=Faith Kipyegon: How Kenyan achieved the mother of all feats in Tokyo|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/africa/59465878|access-date=18 December 2021|work=BBC Sport}}

In May, Kipyegon opened her season over 3000 m at the Doha Diamond League, finishing second behind Francine Niyonsaba in 8:38.05.{{cite web|url=https://www.letsrun.com/news/2022/05/2022-doha-dl-recap-niyonsaba-tops-kipyegon-lyles-beats-kerley-brazier-fizzles/|title=2022 Doha DL Recap: Niyonsaba Tops Kipyegon, Lyles Beats Kerley, & Brazier Fizzles|website=Letsrun.com|date=13 May 2022|access-date=13 January 2025|last1=Johnson|first1=Robert|last2=Gault|first2=Jonathan}} She claimed victory in her signature event at the Eugene Diamond League, with a time of 3:52.59.{{cite web|url=https://eugene.diamondleague.com/news/eugene/2022-nike-prefontaine-classic-event-recap/|title=2022 Nike Prefontaine Classic - Event Recap|website=diamondleague.com|date=29 May 2022|access-date=26 August 2024|last=Dennehy|first=Cathall}}

File:Faith Kipyegon Oregon 2022.jpg in Eugene.]]

At the World Championships held also in Eugene in July, Kipyegon decisively won the 1500 m gold medal with a time of 3:52.96, which made her the first female athlete to win four global titles over the distance. Gudaf Tsegay placed second in 3:54.52 while Laura Muir earned bronze (3:55.28).{{Cite web|date=2022-07-19|title=World Athletics Championships: Soufiane El Bakkali is 'king of steeplechase' after claiming world title|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/africa/62226390|access-date=2022-07-19|website=BBC Sport}}

On 10 August at the Monaco Diamond League, Kipyegon came within 0.3 s of Dibaba's world record with 3:50.37 to set her new Kenyan record and the second-fastest performance in history at the time. She split 60.5 / 62.1 / 62.1 / 45.67 (last 400 m in 61.3 s) and as of August 2022 held six of the thirteen fastest women's 1500 m marks in history.{{Cite web|date=11 August 2022|title=A new meeting in the books!|url=https://monaco.diamondleague.com/en/news/monaco/a-new-meeting-in-the-books/|access-date=12 August 2022|website=Diamond League}}{{Cite web|last=Rotich |first=Bernard|date=12 August 2022|title=Kipyegon mulls another attempt at 1,500m world record|url=https://nation.africa/kenya/sports/athletics/faith-kipyegon-mulls-another-attempt-at-1500m-world-record-3911594|access-date=12 August 2022|website=Daily Nation}}{{Cite web|last=Dickinson|first=Marley|date=10 August 2022|title=Faith Kipyegon narrowly misses women's 1,500m world record|url=https://runningmagazine.ca/sections/runs-races/faith-kipyegon-narrowly-misses-womens-1500m-world-record/|access-date=12 August 2022|website=Canadian Running Magazine}} She ended her successful season with a clear victory at the Zürich circuit's final the following month, this time closing strongly after a tactical race (last lap in 57.75 and last 200 m in 27.8) to earn her third Diamond League 1500 m title.{{Cite web|date=8 September 2022|title=World Leaders by Ingebrigtsen & Korir Highlight 2022 Diamond League Final|url=https://www.letsrun.com/news/2022/09/world-leaders-by-ingebrigtsen-korir-highlight-2022-diamond-league-final/|access-date=8 September 2022|website=LetsRun.com}} Kipyegon won all her six 1500 m races of the season.

In November interview with Athletics Weekly, she said that in the future she would like to run marathons.

Kipyegon got her 2023 campaign off to a strong start on 4 February with a dominant victory at the Sirikwa Cross Country Classic (10 km) on home soil in Eldoret.{{Cite web|last=Lagat|first=Justin|date=4 February 2023|title=Kipyegon and Lokir secure success at Sirikwa Cross Country Classic|url=https://worldathletics.org/news/report/sirikwa-classic-2023-kipyegon-lokir|access-date=4 February 2023|website=World Athletics}}

On 2 June, she eventually got the only thing that was missing on her resume, setting a world 1500 m record of 3:49.11 to become the first woman in history to break the 3:50-barrier in the discipline. The 29-year-old sliced almost a second from Dibaba's mark (3:50.07) while running a big negative split at the Rome Diamond League staged that year also in Florence. She hit 800 in 2:04.1, as a pacemaker was asked for (WR pace was 2:02.7), and passed the bell in 2:50.2 (Dibaba hit the bell at 2:50.3). Kipyegon was sensational over the final two laps, running her last 800 in 2:00.6, last 400 in 58.81, and last 200 in 29.2. The entire race field congratulated and embraced her after her lap of honour.{{Cite web|last=Mulkeen|first=Jon|date=18 July 2015|title=Dibaba breaks 1500m world record in Monaco with 3:50.07|url=https://worldathletics.org/news/report/monaco-diamond-league-2015-dibaba-world-recor |access-date=2 June 2023|website=World Athletics}}{{Cite web|last=Jeffery|first=Nicole|date=2 June 2023|title=Kipyegon breaks world 1500m record with 3:49.11 in Florence|url=https://worldathletics.org/news/report/florence-golden-gala-2023-faith-kipyegon-world-record-1500m|access-date=2 June 2023|website=World Athletics}}{{Cite web|date=2 June 2023 |title=Faith Kipyegon Runs 3:49.11 to Smash Women's 1500m World Record in Florence|url=https://www.letsrun.com/news/2023/06/faith-kipyegon-runs-349-11-to-smash-womens-1500m-world-record-in-florence/|access-date=2 June 2023|website=LetsRun.com}}{{Cite web|last=Adams|first=Tim|date=6 June 2023|title=Reaction to Faith Kipyegon's world record as special as the run itself|url=https://athleticsweekly.com/blog/reaction-to-faith-kipyegons-world-record-as-special-than-the-run-itself-1039968403/|access-date=6 June 2023|website=AW}}{{Cite web|date=2 June 2023|title=Faith Kipyegon smashes women's 1500m world record in Florence|url=https://olympics.nbcsports.com/2023/06/02/faith-kipyegon-world-record-1500-meters/|access-date=2 June 2023|website=NBC Sports}}

Kipyegon made it two world records in a week after breaking exactly seven days later, on 9 June, Letesenbet Gidey's 5000 metres world standard of 14:06.62 set in 2020. Faith's second world record came as a surprise as it was her first race over the distance since 2015 and her third ever. Racing in a thrilling duel with Letesenbet at the Paris Diamond League, she smashed her old PB (14:31.95) and sliced 1.42 s off that world record with a time of 14:05.20. She overtook her with 600 m to go but Letesenbet was closely following, with both lagging about six seconds behind the world record pace. Kipyegon ran a last lap in 60.6 s and dropped Letesenbet in a sprint finish in the last 200 m timed at 28.1 s, even faster than in her 1500 m world record race. She became only the second woman in history to hold both the 1500 m and 5000 m records simultaneously after Paola Pigni in 1969, and the first Kenyan woman to hold the latter.{{Cite web|last=Gault|first=Jonathan|date=9 June 2023|title=Faith Kipyegon Runs 14:05.20 to Break 5,000m World Record in Paris|url=https://www.letsrun.com/news/2023/06/faith-kipyegon-runs-1405-20-break-5000m-world-record-in-paris/|access-date=9 June 2023|website=LetsRun.com}}{{Cite web|last=Mulkeen|first=Jon|date=9 June 2023|title=Kipyegon, Girma and Ingebrigtsen make history in Paris|url=https://worldathletics.org/news/report/paris-kipyegon-girma-ingebrigtsen-5000m-steeplechase-two-miles-world-record-best|access-date=9 June 2023|website=World Athletics}}{{Cite web|last=Makori|first=Elias|date=10 June 2023|title=Kipyegon: Coach Patrick Sang took me from nowhere to the top!|url=https://nation.africa/kenya/sports/athletics/kipyegon-coach-patrick-sang-took-me-from-nowhere-to-the-top-4265000|access-date=10 June 2023|website=Daily Nation}}

Kipyegon's 5000 metres world record has since been broken by Gudaf Tsegay, who ran 14:00.21 at the 2023 Prefontaine Classic.{{Cite web|title=5000 Metres - women - senior - all|url=https://worldathletics.org/records/all-time-toplists/middlelong/5000-metres/all/women/senior?regionType=world&page=1&bestResultsOnly=true&firstDay=1899-12-31&lastDay=2024-07-07&maxResultsByCountry=all&eventId=10229514&ageCategory=senior|access-date=2024-07-08|website=worldathletics.org}}

On 21 July 2023, at the Monaco Diamond League, Kipyegon ran 4:07.64 in the mile, breaking Sifan Hassan's mile world record of 4:12.33 which had stood since 2019.{{Cite web|title=Kipyegon obliterates world mile record with 4:07.64 in Monaco {{!}} REPORTS {{!}} World Athletics|url=https://worldathletics.org/competitions/diamond-league/news/monaco-herculis-2023-kipyegon-world-record-mile|access-date=2024-07-08|website=World Athletics}}

At the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Kipyegon achieved the 1500m and 5000m double, winning the former in 3:54.87 and the latter in 14:53.88.{{Cite web|title=World Athletics Championships, Budapest 2023 {{!}} Results {{!}} World Athletics|url=https://worldathletics.org/competition/calendar-results/results/7138987?eventId=|access-date=2024-07-08|website=worldathletics.org}}

In June 2024, at the 2024 Kenyan Olympic Trials in Nairobi, Kipyegon won both the 1500m and 5000m, in times of 3:53.99 and 14:46.28, respectively.{{Cite web|title=Kipyegon and Wanyonyi shine at Kenyan Olympic Trials {{!}} REPORT {{!}} World Athletics|url=https://worldathletics.org/news/report/kipyegon-wanyonyi-kenyan-olympic-trials|access-date=2024-07-08|website=World Athletics}}

On 7 July 2024, at the Meeting de Paris, Kipyegon broke her own 1500m world record by seven hundredths of a second, running 3:49.04.{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/katelynhutchison/2024/07/08/faith-kipyegon-and-yaroslava-mahuchikh-break-world-records-at-the-paris-diamond-league/|title=Faith Kipyegon And Yaroslava Mahuchikh Break World Records At The Paris Diamond League|website=Forbes.com|last=Hutchison|first=Katelyn|date=8 July 2024|access-date=13 January 2024}}{{cite news|title=Ukraine's Mahuchikh, Kenya's Kipyegon break world records at Paris Diamond League|url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/summer/athletics/diamond-league-paris-world-athletics-tour-roundup-1.7256549|access-date=8 July 2024|agency=The Associated Press|publisher=CBC Sports|date=7 July 2024}}

At the Paris 2024 Olympics, after initially winning the silver medal in the women's 5,000 metres, Kipyegon faced disqualification for obstruction of Ethiopian athlete Gudaf Tsegay. However, she was later reinstated to her silver medal position behind her compatriot, gold medalist Beatrice Chebet, following a successful appeal.{{Cite web |title=PARIS 2024 ATHLETICS: KENYA'S BEATRICE CHEBET WINS MAIDEN WOMEN'S 5,000M TITLE |url=https://olympics.com/en/news/paris-2024-athletics-kenya-s-beatrice-chebet-wins-maiden-women-s-5-000m-results|website=Olympics.com|publisher=IOC|last=de Villiers|first=Ockers|date=5 August 2024|access-date=6 October 2024}}{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/olympics/articles/c99001egm4jo|title=Kenya's Chebet wins 5,000m gold as Kipyegon gets silver|publisher=BBC Sport|date=2024-08-05}} Kipyegon ended her campaign at the Paris Olympics with gold in the 1500m, breaking her own Olympic record with a time of 3:51.29. She outsprinted silver and bronze medallists Jessica Hull and Georgia Bell to win by a margin of 1.27 seconds.{{cite web|last=Rathborn|first=Jack|title=Georgia Bell claims stunning bronze as Faith Kipyegon makes 1500m history|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/georgia-bell-claims-stunning-bronze-194602429.html|website=Yahoo Sports|access-date=10 August 2024}}

On 14 September 2024, Kipyegon won the 1500 metres at the 2024 Diamond League final in Brussels, Belgium, in a meeting record time of 3:54.75.{{cite web|url=https://worldathletics.org/competitions/diamond-league/news/wanda-diamond-league-final-brussels-2024-kipyegon-chebet-fabbri|title=Kipyegon, Chebet and Fabbri break meeting records as Wanda Diamond League Final concludes in Brussels|publisher=World Athletics|accessdate=14 September 2024}}

On 26 September 2024, she won the first edition of Athlos, an all-woman track and field meeting at Icahn Stadium in New York City.{{cite web|url=https://athleticsweekly.com/event-reports/faith-kipyegon-maintains-unbeaten-1500m-run-after-win-at-athlos-nyc-1039993014/|title=Faith Kipyegon maintains unbeaten 1500m run after win at ATHLOS NYC|website=Athletics Weekly|last=Adams|first=Tim|date=27 September 2024|access-date=13 January 2025}}

In April 2025, it was announced that Kipyegon will attempt to become the first woman to run a sub-four-minute mile at a meeting in Paris on 26 June 2025.{{Cite web |last=Ingle |first=Sean |date=23 April 2025 |title=Faith Kipyegon’s audacious bid to be first woman to run sub four-minute mile |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/apr/23/faith-kipyegon-audacious-bid-first-woman-sub-four-minute-mile |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250423153851/https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/apr/23/faith-kipyegon-audacious-bid-first-woman-sub-four-minute-mile |archive-date=23 April 2025 |access-date=23 April 2025 |website=The Guardian}} She will be assisted by 'the next generation of super shoes' and male pacers to help break the barrier. Similar to the Ineos 1:59 Challenge and Breaking2, World Athletics will not recognize the record. On 26 April, Kipyegon set a meeting record in the 1000 metres at the Xiamen Diamond League, running 2:29.21. This time was 0.06 seconds off her personal best and 0.23 seconds off Svetlana Masterkova's world record of 2:28.98.{{Cite web |last=LetsRun.com |date=2025-04-26 |title=Sorry track fans, Faith Kipyegon isn't breaking 4:00 in the mile - Can we live in the real world and not la-la land? |url=https://www.letsrun.com/news/2025/04/sorry-track-fans-faith-kipyegon-isnt-breaking-400-in-the-mile-can-we-live-in-the-real-world-and-not-la-la-land/ |access-date=2025-04-27 |website=LetsRun.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=LetsRun.com |date=2025-04-26 |title=Xiamen Diamond League Results - 2025 Xiamen Diamond League |url=https://www.letsrun.com/news/2025/04/xiamen-diamond-league-results-2025-xiamen-diamond-league/ |access-date=2025-04-27 |website=LetsRun.com |language=en}}

All information taken from World Athletics profile.

• Diamond League 1500 metres champion (3): 24px 2017,{{Cite web|date=2017-09-01|title=Diamond League Champions 2017: Brussels (BEL) 31 August - 1 September 2017|url=https://www.diamondleague.com/fileadmin/IDL_Default/files/documents/2017/Brussels/DiamondRaceWinners.pdf|access-date=2021-07-01|website=Diamond League|page=3}} 24px 2021,{{Cite web|last=|date=2021-09-09|title=Wanda Diamond League Final {{!}} Letzigrund - Zürich (SUI) {{!}} 8th-9th September 2021|url=https://www.diamondleague.com/fileadmin/IDL_Zurich/user_upload/Results_Diamond_League_2021_Zurich_2021.pdf|access-date=2021-09-09|website=Diamond League|page=8}} 24px 2022

:: 1500 metres wins, other events specified in parentheses

:* 2015 (1): Brussels Memorial Van Damme (One mile, {{AthAbbr|WL}} {{AthAbbr|AR|African}})

:* 2016 (3): Shanghai Diamond League ({{AthAbbr|WL}} {{AthAbbr|MR}} {{AthAbbr|NR|Kenyan}}), Eugene Prefontaine Classic ({{AthAbbr|WL}} {{AthAbbr|MR}} {{AthAbbr|NR|Kenyan}}), Oslo Bislett Games (One mile, {{AthAbbr|WL}})

:* 2017 (3): Shanghai ({{AthAbbr|WL}}), Eugene, Brussels ({{AthAbbr|SB}})

:* 2019 (1): Prefontaine Classic in Palo Alto ({{AthAbbr|SB}})

:* 2020 (3): Monaco Herculis (1000 m, {{AthAbbr|DLR}} {{AthAbbr|AR|African}}), Brussels (1000 m), Doha Diamond League (800 m, {{AthAbbr|WL}} {{AthAbbr|PB}})

:* 2021 (4): Doha (800 m), Monaco ({{AthAbbr|WL}} {{AthAbbr|NR|Kenyan}}), Eugene ({{AthAbbr|MR}}), Zürich Weltklasse

:* 2022 (3): Eugene ({{AthAbbr|WL}} {{AthAbbr|MR}}), Monaco ({{AthAbbr|WL}} {{AthAbbr|NR|Kenyan}}), Zürich

:* 2023 (3): Doha ({{AthAbbr|WL}}), Rome Golden Gala in Florence ({{AthAbbr|WR}}), Paris Meeting (5000 m, {{AthAbbr|WR}})

:* 2024 : Paris (Olympics). 15000m, OR in Paris

• World Athletics Cross Country Tour
• 2022–23: Sirikwa Cross Country Classic

• Kenyan Cross Country Championships
• Senior women's race: 2014, 2015

• Kenyan Sports Personality of the Year – Sportswoman of the Year: 2021, 2022{{Cite web |last=Komen |first=Jonathan |date=26 January 2022 |title=Kipyegon, Omanyala wear SOYA award crowns |url=https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/sports/article/2001435614/kipyegon-omanyala-wear-soya-award-crowns |access-date=20 January 2023 |website=The Standard |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Isaboke |first=Alex |date=20 January 2023 |title=Best of the best: Kipchoge, Kipyegon named 2022 Kenya's finest at SOYA |url=https://www.capitalfm.co.ke/sports/2023/01/20/best-of-the-best-kipchoge-kipyegon-named-2022-kenyas-finest-at-soya/ |access-date=20 January 2023 |website=Capital Sports |language=en}}
• World Athletics – World Athlete of the Year: 2023
• Laureus World Sports Award for Sportswoman of the Year: 2024 Nominee{{Cite web |date=2024-04-08 |title=Novak Djokovic, Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff nominated at the 25th Laureus World Sports Awards : All you need to know |url=https://www.tennisclubhouse.ca/en/post/novak-djokovic-iga-swiatek-and-coco-gauff-nominated-at-the-25th-laureus-world-sports-awards-all-y |access-date=2024-04-09 |website=Tennis Clubhouse |language=en}}
• Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement: 2024 – presented by President William Ruto{{cite web |title=Golden Plate Awardees of the American Academy of Achievement |url= https://achievement.org/our-history/golden-plate-awards/#sports|website=achievement.org|publisher=American Academy of Achievement}}

• List of Olympic medalists in athletics (women)
• List of 2016 Summer Olympics medal winners
• List of African Olympic medalists
• List of World Athletics Championships medalists (women)
• List of Commonwealth Games medallists in athletics (women)
• 1500 metres at the Olympics
• 1500 metres at the World Championships in Athletics

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• {{sports links}}

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{{S-bef|before=Genzebe Dibaba}}

{{S-ttl|title=Women's 1500 m world record holder|years=2 June 2023 – present}}

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{{S-bef|before=Letesenbet Gidey}}

{{S-ttl|title=Women's 5000 m world record holder|years=9 June 2023 – 17 September 2023}}

{{S-aft|after=Gudaf Tsegay}}

{{S-bef|before=Sifan Hassan}}

{{S-ttl|title=Women's one mile world record holder|years=21 July 2023 – present}}

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{{Footer Olympic Champions 1500 m Women}}

{{Footer World Champions 1500 m Women}}

{{Footer World Champions 3000 and 5000 m Women}}

{{Footer World Junior Champions women's 1500 metres}}

{{Footer IAAF World Youth Champions 1500 Metres Women}}

{{Footer Commonwealth Champions 1500m Women}}

{{Footer African Champions women's cross country}}

{{Footer IAAF Diamond League 1500 Metres Champions Women}}

{{Footer WBYP 800m Women}}

{{Footer WBYP 1500m Women}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Kipyegon, Faith Chepngetich}}

Category:Living people

Category:1994 births

Category:People from Bomet County

Category:Sportspeople from Rift Valley Province

Category:Kalenjin people

Category:Kenyan female middle-distance runners

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Category:Kalenjin women