Kenyan Faith Kipyegon, multiple Olympic champion, broke the world record for the mile (1,609 m) in 4 min 07 sec 64 in Monaco on Friday, a month after having already seized the 1,500 m and 5,000 m records. The record for the mile, a historic discipline not present in the championship and therefore less popular, was held by its great Dutch rival Sifan Hassan, who had managed 4 min 12 sec 33 in 2019 already in Monaco.
Kipyegon (29) took advantage of her dazzling form this summer to dominate a race designed for her, accompanied by two pacemakers and the wavelight, a light technology that gives the rhythm to the athletes at the edge of the track, thanks in part to an impressive last lap. As she crossed the line, she pointed to the lighted board announcing her stopwatch, smiling.
The Kenyan, double Olympic champion (2016 and 2021) and double world champion in the 1,500m (2017 and 2022), had run the 1,500m in 3 min 49 sec 11 on June 2 in Florence (Italy), before achieving 14 min 05 sec 20 in Paris on June 9 over 5,000 m, two new world records. She is the favorite for the Budapest World Championships in a month (August 19-27), where she should compete in the 1,500 and 5,000 m.
