Paris 2024: Kipyegon has Faith in her ability as she heads to France

Kenya's Faith Kipyegon.[AFP]

Two-time Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon is flying to Paris for the 2024 Olympics with her head held high.

Kipyegon, who is fresh from breaking her own 1,500m world record in Paris, the same city hosting the Olympics, yesterday said everything in her training towards the Paris showpiece went according to plan.

According to Kipyegon, the main focus at the Paris Olympics which officially kicked off in an opening ceremony on Friday evening is bringing home two gold medals.

Kenya’s middle and long distance track team was in high spirits yesterday as they concluded their pre-departure training at the Kipchoge Stadium in Eldoret ahead of their trip to Paris tomorrow.

Kipyegon will for the second year in row double, when she competes in 1,500m and 5,000m races at the Paris Olympics.

Since the national trials in June, Kipyego said she has spent time getting ready for the Paris Olympics showdown.

She said she was lucky to be back on the track after an injury setback that almost ruined her season.

“I feel good after managing to come back strongly after getting a little bit of a problem (injury). I thank God that everything is good. Hopefully, as a team we will do well in Paris,” Kipyegon said after her training session.

The One Mile record holder went on to say: “The (women’s 1,500m and 5,000m) selected at the national trials was strong and we hope if we all do the right thing, I think we will do well and we hope for the medals.”

After smashing her previous 3:49.11 world record on July 7, setting the new mark of 3:49.04 at the French capital, Kipyegon said during the final training session before departure that the number one focus in Paris will be the gold medals in the two events.

Observers have argued since early July, after the 1,500m world record fell that the women’s 5,000m fastest mark would be under a big threat when Kipyegon lines up in the event at the Paris Olympics.

But if conditions allow, Kipyegon said, a world record can be lowered at the global showpiece.

“I don’t know whether the world record will be there or not but the most important thing is to win and bring the medal back home.

“My feeling is that everyone will be going for the medals and the world record might not be on the cards,” the four-time world champion said.

She added: “I promise Kenyans that we are going to give it our all. We can only request Kenyans to pray for us.”

Under her belt, Kipyegon has among others 1,500m Olympic titles from 2016 and 2020 Games as well as four world titles bagged in 2017, 2022 and 2023 championships.

She is one of the most decorated athletes in the Kenyan squad to the Paris Olympics.

Team Kenya Deputy Chef de Mission Barnaba Korir said all was set for the athletics team to compete at the Paris Olympics.

Korir said all logistics for the team’s departure were complete.

“The track team is the main team for the Olympics. I am pleased with their training and it makes us happy that they are training together as a team before departure,” the AK executive official said.

He went on: “The team was trained by coaches who participated in international championships and games and they understand the needs of the athletes’ training.”

“We are happy that all the requirements including the allowances for the athletes have been paid and the kit provided. They have already given out their competition shoes to be verified,” Korir said.