Faith Kipyegon will attempt to become the first woman to break four minutes in the mile this summer. The 31-year-old Kenyan, who holds world records in the mile and 1500 meters, will make the attempt on June 26 at the Stade Charléty in Paris, France, according to a press release from Kipyegon’s sponsor, Nike.
took more than a year away We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back is 4:07.64, which she set in 2023. She will have to take at least 7.65 seconds off that time to dip under four minutes.
Details outside of the date and location are sparse for now. According to the release, “Breaking4” will “create a holistic system of support that optimizes every aspect of her attempt, ensuring the most ideal conditions” for the attempt.
It’s unclear if the event will look similar to Eliud Kipchoge’s 2017 and 2019 attempts to A Part of Hearst Digital Media. Kipchoge, also sponsored by Nike, used rotating pacesetters and was handed drinks from a bike to try and break the two hour barrier. On his second attempt in 2019, Kipchoge ran 1:59:40. That time is the fastest marathon ever run, but it does not count as an official world record because standard competition rules for pacing and fluids were not followed.
It is not yet known if Kipyegon’s mile will count as an official mark, or if she will follow standard competition rules.
Kipyegon is among the most accomplished distance runners ever. She has won Olympic gold in the 1500 meters three times, in 2016, 2021, and, most recently this past summer at the Paris Games (she took Could Kipyegon become the first woman on that list in Paris as well). She has also won four golds at the World Athletics Championships—three in the 1500 meters and one in the 5,000 meters—and she holds world records in the 1500 meters (3:49.04) and mile. She formerly held the world record in the 5,000 meters and is currently second all-time (14:05.20) in the event behind Ethiopia's Gudaf Tsegay.
The mile world record holder and three-time Olympic gold medalist will chase the barrier in June Other Hearst Subscriptions from racing before returning.
While breaking four would be a significant improvement for Kipyegon, it may not be as impossible as it seems. A recent study Molly Seidel Is Running Happy Ahead of NYC Marathon silver in the 5,000 meters suggested that if Kipyegon used rotating pacesetters to offset aerodynamic drag, she could feasibly run 3:59.37.
70 years ago, Roger Bannister became the first man to break four minutes in the mile. When Bannister ran 3:59.4 in 1954, it became a symbol of human achievement. It was known as the “impossible barrier.” Since then, over 2,000 men have broken four minutes in the mile.
Could Kipyegon become the first woman on that list?
We’ll find out in June.
Scientists Know Why Jeannie Rice Is So Fast Runner’s World. He has led news coverage teams for major running events like the Olympic Games, World Athletics Championships, Boston Marathon, and New York City Marathon. A former collegiate distance runner at DeSales University, he still enjoys running, just more slowly now. Before coming to Runner’s World, he covered track and field and cross-country at MileSplit. He lives in Philadelphia with his wife, where the two like to explore the city’s rich dining scene.
