Paris 2024: Faith Kipyegon can do wonders

Faith Kipyegon celebrates after winning Paris Olympics gold medal in 15000m. [AFP]

Like her or hate her, Faith Kipyegon has officially cemented her status as one of the Greatest athletes of all time.

The mother of one is not only a triple 1500m Olympic champion, but also the face of athletics throughout the world.

No woman athlete has so far achieved what the multiple world record holder has done in a single track event. She is literally nobody’s match in middle distance race.

From winning World and Olympic titles for fun, and setting world records, the 30-year-old Kipyegon, who caught the world’s attention running barefoot to finish fourth at the 2010 World Cross Country Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland, seems to be in just a class of her own.

But evidently, writing history and breaking records is not for the faint hearted if her performance at the just concluded 2024 Paris Olympic Games is anything to go by. “This medal is absolutely specially to me especially after what I went through over the 5000m. I didn’t sleep until yesterday (Friday). I don’t know how to express myself. I really thank God and everyone who supported me; my management, coach, family and fans across the world. History is what I was aiming for, and it happened,” Kipyegon said after retaining her 1500m title.

Kipyegon had to overcome mental health to become the first athlete to win an Olympic medal on the track three times in a row in the French capital on Saturday night since making her debut at 2012 London Games at the age of 18.

Kipyegon found herself in an awkward situation last week after she was disqualified in 5000m for an apparent obstruction before her silver medal was reinstated after a successful appeal by the Kenyan officials.

But she put that controversy behind, clocking 3:51.29 to defend her 1500m title in style, and in the process, broke the Olympic record in front of a roaring crowd at the Stade de France. Jess Hull settled for silver in 3:52.56, while Georgia Bell got bronze in a British record 3:52.61.

“I knew the Olympic record was going down because all women were very strong, and everybody was in good shape and going for this gold medal. I really thank God I managed to defend my title. That’s what was going in my mind: just execute it, and defend your title,” said Kipyegon.

The three-time world 1500m champion and world record holder revealed how a phone call with her husband Timothy Kitum and daughter Alyn reignited her.

“The first person who really talked to me more than one hour was my husband (Timothy Kitum), he told me 'you got this over the 1500m and I believe in you.' I really want to thank him and my daughter. My daughter told me that at the semifinals I was doing really good and I promised to make her proud in the final. This victory belongs to my family, my daughter,  management and fans who supported me. I want to thank them for supporting me and standing with me.

Kipyegon’s era of dominance over the 1500m race started way back at the 2016 Rio Games where she claimed gold before retaining it in 2020 Tokyo and now 2024 Paris.

“I started thus journey in 2016. All my Olympic races have been really good, and I can’t really which gold medal is the best. I just hope to continue like this, and motivate young girls and women all over the world, “ she said.

Asked how difficult it was for her to prepare for her speciality, Kipyegon said:

“The hardest part was to sleep after the dramatic 5000m race....to sleep and thinking,  waking up and thinking about the same thing knowing that there's another big race to go, it took a lot of energy from me. But to come up and run my race was beautiful.”

Kipyegon’s Olympics Rate card
London-12th
Rio-Gold
Tokyo-Gold
Paris-Gold
Paris-Silver (5000m)