Faith Kipyegon Aims to Break Four-Minute Mile Barrier in Historic Paris Attempt

By: Mutwiri Mutuota | Published on: June 27, 2025

Kenyan athletics icon Faith Chepng’etich Kipyegon is set to make history as she prepares to become the first woman ever to run a mile in under four minutes. This ambitious goal will be attempted during the Breaking4 event organized by Nike at the Stade Charlety in Paris this Thursday evening.

Kipyegon, already a world record holder in the 1500m with a time of 3:49.04, will need to cut more than eight seconds off her current personal best in the mile (4:07.64) to break the seemingly unbreakable barrier.

A Season of Purpose and Momentum

At 31, Faith Kipyegon is not just maintaining her elite status in global athletics — she’s redefining what peak performance looks like in a sport dominated by youth. Her 2025 season opened with a commanding win at the prestigious Diamond League meeting in Xiamen, China, a competition that regularly features the world’s best track and field talent. Her performance was a clear message: she is still a force to be reckoned with, and her ambition remains as fierce as ever.

Upon returning to Kenya, Kipyegon resumed training in Eldoret, a region renowned for producing Olympic champions and world record holders. The town’s altitude — over 2,100 meters above sea level — offers a natural edge in building endurance and oxygen efficiency, key components for middle-distance excellence. Surrounded by elite coaches, physiologists, and a network of world-class training partners, Kipyegon is leveraging every advantage to prepare for what could be a historic run.

In an exclusive interview with CGTN Africa, Kipyegon reflected on the significance of this season:
<em>”I hope 2025 will be a special year, it will be a year of still harvesting more fruit, defending my title at the World Championship in Tokyo, and also, running beautiful times.”</em>
Her goals are not only rooted in performance metrics but also in legacy — to leave a mark that transcends medals and records.

With the Paris Breaking4 challenge on the horizon and the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo later this year, 2025 could indeed become a defining chapter in Kipyegon’s illustrious career. Fans and analysts alike are watching closely, as her every stride represents not just personal ambition but the continued rise of women’s athletics on the global stage.

Breaking4: Inspired by a Legend

The Breaking4 challenge is more than just a race — it is a visionary attempt to break one of the most enduring and psychologically formidable records in women’s athletics: the sub-four-minute mile. The event draws inspiration from the groundbreaking INEOS 1:59 Challenge, where marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge stunned the world in 2019 by becoming the first human to run a marathon in under two hours (1:59:40) in Vienna, Austria.

Much like that historic day, Breaking4 is meticulously designed as a time-optimized trial rather than a conventional race. Every variable has been fine-tuned to maximize performance — from state-of-the-art pacing lights, aerodynamic running formations with experienced pacemakers, to optimal weather conditions and an engineered track surface. These innovations are not gimmicks, but calculated enhancements that push the boundaries of human endurance and speed.

Kipchoge, a global sports icon and training partner to Faith Kipyegon, is expected to be present at the Stade Charlety in Paris, lending moral and symbolic support. His presence adds gravitas to the event, drawing parallels between two of the greatest distance runners of their generation — one who conquered the marathon, and one poised to conquer the mile.

The significance of this attempt cannot be overstated. Since Roger Bannister first broke the four-minute mile barrier in 1954, over 2,000 men have followed suit. Yet in the seven decades since, no woman has come close. Faith Kipyegon’s personal best of 4:07.64 puts her tantalizingly near the milestone, but crossing it would require trimming more than seven seconds — an astronomical gap in the world of elite middle-distance running.

Breaking4, therefore, is not just a test of speed — it’s a test of belief, preparation, and vision. If Kipyegon succeeds, she won’t just be setting a new record; she’ll be shattering a glass ceiling that has stood unchallenged for generations, opening the door for future female athletes to dream bigger, train harder, and run faster.

Where and How to Watch the Breaking4 Event

The Breaking4 challenge will be live-streamed globally across Nike’s social media platforms, including YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Twitch. Additionally, Amazon Prime Video will stream the event live.

Broadcast coverage begins at 18:15 GMT, with Kipyegon’s historic attempt scheduled for 19:00 GMT.

For more athletics news and features, visit our Athletics Section.

Original source: CGTN Africa