Faith Kipyegon believes a woman will break the four-minute barrier for the mile “in this generation or the next,” and said that the challenge is what keeps her training.
The Kenyan came up short in her specially arranged attempt in June to become the first woman to smash the the four-minute barrier, clocking 4 minutes, 6.42 seconds in Paris.
“My goal was to be the first woman to run under four minutes in the mile. I would say I didn’t do what I wanted to do, but it sent a message that it is possible one day,” Kipyegon told reporters in a roundtable interview released on Thursday ahead of next month’s World Championships in Tokyo.
Photo: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
“If it does not come my way, it will be someone one day,” the 31-year-old added.
Kipyegon, a three-time Olympic gold medalist, said that the history-making goal gets her out of bed in the morning.
“I believe there will be a woman running under four minutes in the next generation or in our generation, and that’s why I keep going, keep training,” she said. “I have achieved a lot, all the medals, the Olympics and world championships, but I still have a drive, I still want to show that women are capable of doing what we have to do in this world, that we have got this and we need to do it.”
The indefatigable Kipyegon bounced back within days of her mile attempt disappointment, setting a world 1,500m record of 3:48.68 at the Prefontaine Classic Diamond League meeting in Eugene, Oregon.
Tokyo is to be the first championships where World Athletics is to administer a new gender test and the Kenyan said she welcomed its introduction.
“It is all about women and I am OK about it,” she said. “This is a new thing and we’re all going to face it. I am looking forward to it.”
She also admitted she was already eyeing a move up to the marathon.
“It will be soon,” she said. “I am not getting young any more. I will announce soon, but not now.”
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