Sports

Kipyegon keeps the ‘Faith’ after missing world record by 0.3 seconds

Friday, August 12th, 2022 01:00 | By
Kipyegon keeps the ‘Faith’ after missing world record by 0.3 seconds
Kipyegon keeps the ‘Faith’ after missing world record by 0.3 seconds

Although Olympic and world champion Faith Kipyegon missed the women’s 1500m world record by a mere 0.3 seconds at the Diamond League meet in Monaco on Wednesday night, she has declared her intentions to make amends.

Fresh from reclaiming her world title in Oregon last month, Kipyegon clocked a new personal best of 3:50.37 in the Principality of Monaco. Only Ethiopia’s Genzebe Dibaba (3:50.07) has run faster.

 The result leaves her as the second fastest woman in the race of all time as she set a national record. This was also her new  Personal Best and World Leading time.

“Definitely I’m getting there although the wind today was a tad too much. I thought I had it for a moment, but it will eventually come,” said Kipyegon keen not to pressure herself.

The 28-year-old added: “It is not about just me, but the whole team. It was behind me, so instead of thinking about the near miss I want to wholeheartedly celebrate this moment,

The World Record mark was set by the Ethiopian at the same venue in 2015, perhaps one of the reasons Kipyegon loved the track.

“It is fast here, I think that is why we love to compete here,” she added.

Heading to the home stretch, Kipyegon, aided by the wave light technology running on the side of the track showing her the world record mark put in a massive shift and summoned all her energy as she attempted to beat the 3:50.07 mark.

In the end, she was just a step slower and she slumped to the tartan, worn out from the massive shift she employed in search of history.

From the start, it was a race between her and the clock and the two pacemakers, Jamaica’s Tracey Adelle and USA’s Allie Wilson who were tasked with ensuring she runs the first two laps as quickly as possible.

Kipyegon was on their neck from the gun and ensured she remained within the pace.

At the bell, she dug in for all energy available, but could only afford to break her own national record as well as run her lifetime best.

Earlier on, 1500m World Champion Jake Wightman won the men’s 1000m race, with recently crowned 800m Commonwealth Games Champion Wycliffe Kinyamal coming fourth while World Champion Emmanuel Korir was bottom.

More on Sports


ADVERTISEMENT

RECOMMENDED STORIES Sports


ADVERTISEMENT