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.
Kipyegon has her work cut out for her if she wants to break the four minute barrier. Her world record in the mile 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 break two hours in the marathon. 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 silver in the 5,000 meters 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.
Kipyegon is also a mother. Her daughter, Alyn, was born in 2018. Kipyegon took more than a year away 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 published in the journal Royal Society Open Science 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.
Dan Beck is the deputy news editor at 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.
