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Time of India
21 hours ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Kenya's Kipyegon falls well short in bid for first sub-four-minute mile
Kenya's Faith Kipyegon fell short in her attempt to become the first woman to run a mile in under four minutes on Thursday when she clocked 4:06.42 in a Nike "Breaking4" project that, though faster than her own world record, will not be ratified. The 31-year-old triple world and Olympic 1,500 metres champion had needed to take more than seven seconds off her own 2023 world record of 4:07.64 but, despite a series of aids, managed just over one second. She was helped by innovative new kit, super-spikes and, crucially, a phalanx of mostly male pacers who blocked the wind on the four and a bit laps of the Stade Charlety track where she set her 1,500m world record last year. Dressed in a black one-pieced suit with black arm warmers, the diminutive Kenyan was swamped by her group of pacers, mostly men and all world class athletes themselves. In a pre-designed plan, a group of five men ran in a line in front of her as "the shield" with American double Olympic bronze medallist Grant Fisher on her shoulder. Live Events She was about on course at halfway but began to slip behind the coloured pacing lights inside the track and drifted on the final lap as she tied up over the last 200 metres. Those male pacers meant, just as with compatriot Eliud Kipchoge's sub-two-hour marathon run with "in and out" pacers in 2019, that the new mark will not be recognised as a world record. Kipyegon, however, was her usual upbeat self at the finish. "I'm tired but I feel good and I tried," she said, thanking the crowd of around a thousand people who had given her enthusiastic support. "That is why I was coming here - to try to be the first woman to run under four minutes. It's only a matter of time but I think it will come our way. If it's not me, it will be someone else. "So, yeah, I know one day, one time, a woman will run under four. I will not lose hope. I will still go for it and if there's not something like this, a special one, I think in a normal Diamond League, or anything, I will still go for it and I hope I will get it one day." Britain's Roger Bannister was the first man to go under four minutes in May 1954, with compatriot Diane Leather the first woman to break five minutes later the same month. The current men's record is the 3:43.13 set by Hicham El Guerrouj in 1999.
The Guardian
a day ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
Faith not enough as Kipyegon misses four-minute mile barrier by six seconds
Faith Kipyegon's dream of following in Sir Roger Bannister's long footsteps by becoming the first woman to shatter the four-minute barrier for the mile ended with her body soaked in lactic acid and defiance. And, crucially, with the stadium clock at Stade Charléty more than six seconds away from where she had hoped it would be. The 31-year-old Kenyan arrived in Paris stacked with the latest weapons in track and field's technological arms race. But having reached the bell in 3mins 1sec, just about on schedule, she found that physiology began to overpower technology. There was a consolation of sorts as she finished in 4:06.42 – 1.22 faster than her world record. The new time will not count as she was being paced by men, which is against World Athletics rules. 'This was the first trial,' she said. 'We are learning many lessons from this race. I will go back to the drawing board to get it right. And I think there is more in the tank.' Before the race Kipyegon's 13 pacemakers were introduced to the crowd – 11 men and two women. They included several Olympians, the indoor 5,000m world record-holder in the American Grant Fisher, and three Britons, Elliot Giles, Georgia Hunter Bell and Jemma Reekie. Then it was Kipyegon's turn, tiny at 5ft 2in, dressed all in black. There was a wave to the crowd, a short sprint to whirr the legs up to full speed. Then they were off, ready to tackle the 1,609 metres in front of them. It was Giles who led the way, but to the untrained eye it looked as if he went off a little too fast as it took a while to settle into formation: six athletes in a line in front of Kipyegon, one alongside her, and six behind her. The idea was to allow her to draft and reduce wind resistance. For a while, her supporters in the Stade Charléty dared to dream. Kipyegon went through the first lap in 1:00.20 and hit 800m in 2:00.75. She still looked to be going strong as she heard the bell in 3:01.84, but then the pain and lactic began to rip through her, and she could run the last lap only in a shade under 65 seconds. The trackside wave lights, which she had used in many of her world records, had been set to get her across the finish line in 3:59.99. This time, though, they kept running further away from her. 'I gave everything,' she said. 'But I think the wave lights gave everything today too. But maybe next time I can catch up with them.' Few outside Kipyegon's camp had expected her to emulate Bannister's epic 1954 feat. But Nike's executives insisted privately that there was cause for optimism that she could get close. Part of that came from Kipyegon being armed with the latest super shoes, which were lighter at 90g and more propulsive than her previous spikes. On the insoles were written two words: 'fastest known'. The Kenyan was also wearing a special skinsuit, designed to help her be more aerodynamic. And she had the team of pacers to help her cut through the air quicker. Sign up to The Recap The best of our sports journalism from the past seven days and a heads-up on the weekend's action after newsletter promotion For months an elaborate pacing and drafting strategy was practised in Nike's headquarters in Oregon and, more recently, in Paris with Britain's Hunter Bell acting as Kipyegon. In tests, one Nike athlete had been able to run a mile 3% quicker using such strategy, compared with a test run using normal equipment and with no pacers a fortnight earlier. That gave executives confidence that Kipyegon could go close. Beforehand they walked around with 'I've got Faith' T-shirts, with the company's logo replacing the apostrophe. But faith, it turned out, was not enough. So where does that leave us? The detractors will say it was marketing hype from the beginning. But that isn't fair. This was a genuine attempt to go where no women had gone before, and Kipyegon should be lauded for rolling the dice and giving it a shot. At the press conference, she was praised by one influencer for shifting the narrative. But her face showed that she had wanted more. 'It was not easy but I wanted to prove to the world that everything is possible in life if you dare to try. I am hoping one day, one time, it will come my way.' You could only admire her resolve. But finding those seven seconds will not be easy.
The Advertiser
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Advertiser
Kipyegon falls short in women's sub-4 minute mile bid
Kenya's Faith Kipyegon has fallen fell short in her attempt to become the first woman to run a mile in under four minutes when she clocked 4:06.42 in a Nike "Breaking4" project that, though faster than her own world record, will not be ratified. The 31-year-old triple world and Olympic 1500 metres champion had needed to take more than seven seconds off her own 2023 world record of 4:07.64 but, despite a series of aids, managed to lower it by just over one second. She was helped by innovative new kit, super-spikes and, crucially, a phalanx of mostly male pacers who blocked the wind on the four-and-a-bit laps of the Stade Charlety track in Paris where she set her 1500m world record last year. Dressed in a black one-pieced suit with black arm warmers, the diminutive Kenyan was swamped by her group of pacers, mostly men and all world-class athletes themselves. In a pre-designed plan, a group of five men ran in a line in front of her as "the shield" with American double Olympic bronze medallist Grant Fisher on her shoulder. She was about on course at halfway but began to slip behind the coloured pacing lights inside the track and drifted on the final lap as she tied up over the last 200 metres. Those male pacers meant, just as with compatriot Eliud Kipchoge's sub-two-hour marathon run with "in and out" pacers in 2019, that the new mark will not be recognised as a world record. Kipyegon, however, was her usual upbeat self at the finish. "I'm tired but I feel good and I tried," she said, thanking the crowd of around a thousand people who had given her enthusiastic support. "That is why I was coming here - to try to be the first woman to run under four minutes. It's only a matter of time but I think it will come our way. If it's not me, it will be someone else. "So, yeah, I know one day, one time, a woman will run under four. I will not lose hope. I will still go for it and if there's not something like this, a special one, I think in a normal Diamond League, or anything, I will still go for it and I hope I will get it one day." Britain's Roger Bannister was the first man to go under four minutes in May 1954, with compatriot Diane Leather the first woman to break five minutes later the same month. The current men's record is the 3:43.13 set by Hicham El Guerrouj in 1999. Kenya's Faith Kipyegon has fallen fell short in her attempt to become the first woman to run a mile in under four minutes when she clocked 4:06.42 in a Nike "Breaking4" project that, though faster than her own world record, will not be ratified. The 31-year-old triple world and Olympic 1500 metres champion had needed to take more than seven seconds off her own 2023 world record of 4:07.64 but, despite a series of aids, managed to lower it by just over one second. She was helped by innovative new kit, super-spikes and, crucially, a phalanx of mostly male pacers who blocked the wind on the four-and-a-bit laps of the Stade Charlety track in Paris where she set her 1500m world record last year. Dressed in a black one-pieced suit with black arm warmers, the diminutive Kenyan was swamped by her group of pacers, mostly men and all world-class athletes themselves. In a pre-designed plan, a group of five men ran in a line in front of her as "the shield" with American double Olympic bronze medallist Grant Fisher on her shoulder. She was about on course at halfway but began to slip behind the coloured pacing lights inside the track and drifted on the final lap as she tied up over the last 200 metres. Those male pacers meant, just as with compatriot Eliud Kipchoge's sub-two-hour marathon run with "in and out" pacers in 2019, that the new mark will not be recognised as a world record. Kipyegon, however, was her usual upbeat self at the finish. "I'm tired but I feel good and I tried," she said, thanking the crowd of around a thousand people who had given her enthusiastic support. "That is why I was coming here - to try to be the first woman to run under four minutes. It's only a matter of time but I think it will come our way. If it's not me, it will be someone else. "So, yeah, I know one day, one time, a woman will run under four. I will not lose hope. I will still go for it and if there's not something like this, a special one, I think in a normal Diamond League, or anything, I will still go for it and I hope I will get it one day." Britain's Roger Bannister was the first man to go under four minutes in May 1954, with compatriot Diane Leather the first woman to break five minutes later the same month. The current men's record is the 3:43.13 set by Hicham El Guerrouj in 1999. Kenya's Faith Kipyegon has fallen fell short in her attempt to become the first woman to run a mile in under four minutes when she clocked 4:06.42 in a Nike "Breaking4" project that, though faster than her own world record, will not be ratified. The 31-year-old triple world and Olympic 1500 metres champion had needed to take more than seven seconds off her own 2023 world record of 4:07.64 but, despite a series of aids, managed to lower it by just over one second. She was helped by innovative new kit, super-spikes and, crucially, a phalanx of mostly male pacers who blocked the wind on the four-and-a-bit laps of the Stade Charlety track in Paris where she set her 1500m world record last year. Dressed in a black one-pieced suit with black arm warmers, the diminutive Kenyan was swamped by her group of pacers, mostly men and all world-class athletes themselves. In a pre-designed plan, a group of five men ran in a line in front of her as "the shield" with American double Olympic bronze medallist Grant Fisher on her shoulder. She was about on course at halfway but began to slip behind the coloured pacing lights inside the track and drifted on the final lap as she tied up over the last 200 metres. Those male pacers meant, just as with compatriot Eliud Kipchoge's sub-two-hour marathon run with "in and out" pacers in 2019, that the new mark will not be recognised as a world record. Kipyegon, however, was her usual upbeat self at the finish. "I'm tired but I feel good and I tried," she said, thanking the crowd of around a thousand people who had given her enthusiastic support. "That is why I was coming here - to try to be the first woman to run under four minutes. It's only a matter of time but I think it will come our way. If it's not me, it will be someone else. "So, yeah, I know one day, one time, a woman will run under four. I will not lose hope. I will still go for it and if there's not something like this, a special one, I think in a normal Diamond League, or anything, I will still go for it and I hope I will get it one day." Britain's Roger Bannister was the first man to go under four minutes in May 1954, with compatriot Diane Leather the first woman to break five minutes later the same month. The current men's record is the 3:43.13 set by Hicham El Guerrouj in 1999. Kenya's Faith Kipyegon has fallen fell short in her attempt to become the first woman to run a mile in under four minutes when she clocked 4:06.42 in a Nike "Breaking4" project that, though faster than her own world record, will not be ratified. The 31-year-old triple world and Olympic 1500 metres champion had needed to take more than seven seconds off her own 2023 world record of 4:07.64 but, despite a series of aids, managed to lower it by just over one second. She was helped by innovative new kit, super-spikes and, crucially, a phalanx of mostly male pacers who blocked the wind on the four-and-a-bit laps of the Stade Charlety track in Paris where she set her 1500m world record last year. Dressed in a black one-pieced suit with black arm warmers, the diminutive Kenyan was swamped by her group of pacers, mostly men and all world-class athletes themselves. In a pre-designed plan, a group of five men ran in a line in front of her as "the shield" with American double Olympic bronze medallist Grant Fisher on her shoulder. She was about on course at halfway but began to slip behind the coloured pacing lights inside the track and drifted on the final lap as she tied up over the last 200 metres. Those male pacers meant, just as with compatriot Eliud Kipchoge's sub-two-hour marathon run with "in and out" pacers in 2019, that the new mark will not be recognised as a world record. Kipyegon, however, was her usual upbeat self at the finish. "I'm tired but I feel good and I tried," she said, thanking the crowd of around a thousand people who had given her enthusiastic support. "That is why I was coming here - to try to be the first woman to run under four minutes. It's only a matter of time but I think it will come our way. If it's not me, it will be someone else. "So, yeah, I know one day, one time, a woman will run under four. I will not lose hope. I will still go for it and if there's not something like this, a special one, I think in a normal Diamond League, or anything, I will still go for it and I hope I will get it one day." Britain's Roger Bannister was the first man to go under four minutes in May 1954, with compatriot Diane Leather the first woman to break five minutes later the same month. The current men's record is the 3:43.13 set by Hicham El Guerrouj in 1999.
ABC News
2 days ago
- Sport
- ABC News
Faith Kipyegon falls short in bid for first sub-four-minute mile
Kenya's Faith Kipyegon has fallen short in her attempt to become the first woman to run a mile in under four minutes. Kipyegon clocked 4:06.42 in a Nike "Breaking4" project, a time quicker than her 2023 world record (4:07.64). But her effort, run at Stade Charléty in Paris, will not be ratified, given the circumstances in which the record attempt was held. The three-time Olympic gold medallist was assisted by innovative kit, super-spikes and a group of mostly male pacers, who blocked the wind on the track where she set her 1,500m world record last year. Dressed in a black one-pieced suit with arm warmers, the diminutive Kenyan was swamped by her group of pacers, who were all world-class athletes themselves. In a pre-designed plan, a group of five men ran in a line in front of her as "the shield", with American double Olympic bronze medallist Grant Fisher on her shoulder. She was about on course at halfway but began to slip behind the coloured pacing lights inside the track and drifted on the final lap as she tied up over the last 200m. Those male pacers meant — just as with compatriot Eliud Kipchoge's sub-two-hour marathon run with "in and out" pacers in 2019 — the new mark will not be recognised as a world record. Kipyegon, however, was her usual upbeat self at the finish. "I'm tired but I feel good and I tried," said Kipyegon, as she thanked the crowd of around 1,000 spectators who had given her enthusiastic support. "That is why I was coming here — to try to be the first woman to run under four minutes. "It's only a matter of time but I think it will come our way. If it's not me, it will be someone else. "I know one day, one time, a woman will run under four. I will not lose hope. "I will still go for it and if there's not something like this, a special one, I think in a normal Diamond League (meet), or anything, I will still go for it and I hope I will get it one day." Great Britain's Roger Bannister was the first man to run the mile under four minutes in1954. Compatriot Diane Leather was the first woman to break five minutes in the same year. The current men's world record is 3:43.13, set by Hicham El Guerrouj in 1999. Reuters
Perth Now
2 days ago
- Sport
- Perth Now
Kipyegon falls short in women's sub-4 minute mile bid
Kenya's Faith Kipyegon has fallen fell short in her attempt to become the first woman to run a mile in under four minutes when she clocked 4:06.42 in a Nike "Breaking4" project that, though faster than her own world record, will not be ratified. The 31-year-old triple world and Olympic 1500 metres champion had needed to take more than seven seconds off her own 2023 world record of 4:07.64 but, despite a series of aids, managed to lower it by just over one second. She was helped by innovative new kit, super-spikes and, crucially, a phalanx of mostly male pacers who blocked the wind on the four-and-a-bit laps of the Stade Charlety track in Paris where she set her 1500m world record last year. Dressed in a black one-pieced suit with black arm warmers, the diminutive Kenyan was swamped by her group of pacers, mostly men and all world-class athletes themselves. In a pre-designed plan, a group of five men ran in a line in front of her as "the shield" with American double Olympic bronze medallist Grant Fisher on her shoulder. She was about on course at halfway but began to slip behind the coloured pacing lights inside the track and drifted on the final lap as she tied up over the last 200 metres. Those male pacers meant, just as with compatriot Eliud Kipchoge's sub-two-hour marathon run with "in and out" pacers in 2019, that the new mark will not be recognised as a world record. Kipyegon, however, was her usual upbeat self at the finish. "I'm tired but I feel good and I tried," she said, thanking the crowd of around a thousand people who had given her enthusiastic support. "That is why I was coming here - to try to be the first woman to run under four minutes. It's only a matter of time but I think it will come our way. If it's not me, it will be someone else. "So, yeah, I know one day, one time, a woman will run under four. I will not lose hope. I will still go for it and if there's not something like this, a special one, I think in a normal Diamond League, or anything, I will still go for it and I hope I will get it one day." Britain's Roger Bannister was the first man to go under four minutes in May 1954, with compatriot Diane Leather the first woman to break five minutes later the same month. The current men's record is the 3:43.13 set by Hicham El Guerrouj in 1999.
