Kipyegon smashes Kenyan record but comes agonizingly short of World Record
The diminutive Kenyan tracked the pacemakers through the first 900m, by which time she had left the other competitors far in her wake. For the last 600m she had only the pacing lights for company and knew she was within touching distance of Genzebe Dibaba’s 2015 world record of 3:50.07.
Olympic and world champion Faith "Mummy Stronger" Kipyegon broke every 1500m record in the book in Monaco on Wednesday night, except the one she most desired, as she flew around the track in a different race from the rest of the field.
The diminutive Kenyan tracked the pacemakers through the first 900m, by which time she had left the other competitors far in her wake. For the last 600m she had only the pacing lights for company and knew she was within touching distance of Genzebe Dibaba’s 2015 world record of 3:50.07.
When Kipyegon crossed the finish line, she had broken the Kenyan record, the meeting record and her personal best, but had fallen an agonising 0.3 short of the world mark. She remains the second-fastest in history but is getting closer to No.1 with every attempt.
“I have been chasing the time for quite some time but I am happy with the personal best,” she said.
“I knew this was the best place to get the world record so I am disappointed I lost it in the last metres.”
The world record is the only honour to elude Kipyegon, who has won both the Olympic and world 1500m titles after returning from the birth of her first child in 2019.
