Kipyegon fails in bid to be first woman to run sub-four-minute mile

Faith Kipyegon’s attempt to become the first woman to run a distance of less than four minutes failed.

In order to achieve the remarkable feat, the Kenyan, 31, set a time of four minutes 06.42 seconds, which is one second quicker than her world record, at Stade Charlety in Paris.

Because Kipyegon was assisted by a team of male and female pacemakers and participated in the Nike-sponsored “Breaking4,” the time will not be considered an official record.

That sensational performance in Monaco gave Kipyegon the idea that sub-four, once viewed as physiologically impossible for a woman, was within her reach.

However, the three-time Olympic 1500m champion was still forced to run two seconds faster than she had before.

As she ran her sub-60 second laps, which amounted to about 15 miles or 24 kilometers per hour, Kipyegon was outfitted out in an aerodynamic skinsuit and specially designed spikes.

Georgia Hunter Bell, a British Olympic 1500m bronze medalist, and Jemma Reekie, a pacemaker, assisted her in chasing the Wavelights, who were located on the track’s inside curb.

Kipyegon completed the third lap in 3:01.84, but her hopes for the finish line began to wane over the final 400 meters.

Before collapsing to the ground, she continued to run through the finish tape in the fastest time a woman has ever done so.

Eliud Kipchoge, who became the first person to complete a marathon in less than two hours, recorded the recording for the tape.

It’s only a matter of time, I have shown it is possible. Someone else will be the recipient if not me, Kipyegon predicted.

“I will keep going for it, not to lose hope.” I’m hoping to receive it someday.

Sir Roger Bannister, the first person to break the mile-per-minute barrier, has been around for more than 70 years.

That occurred in May 1954, and it was perceived as “as elusive and seemingly unattainable as] reaching the summit of] Everest.”

Since then, many more people have reached the highest point on Earth, surpassing Bannister’s feat.

Diane Leather became the first woman to run a sub-five minute mile on the same month as Bannister’s historic milestone.

Sifan Hassan’s 2019 world record of 4: 12.33, which was previously inconceivable, was obliterated by Kipyegon after decades of incremental increases by women.

Kipyegon would run barefoot from school in her Kenyan village long before she chased history in Nike’s most recent high-tech shoes.

Without a doubt, the first woman to win three consecutive Olympic 1500m titles, she also won her first global title at the 2011 World Junior Cross Country Championships.

On Thursday night, Kipyegon donned a black aerodynamic skinsuit with arm and leg sleeves, a headband, and a 3D-printed “aeronodes” that were strategically placed. These items were all designed to lessen wind resistance and drag.

She had carbon fiber plates on the sole and air pockets in the forefoot, which increased propulsion, and her shoes were based on the Nike Victory 2 spikes, which she won Olympic gold last summer.