Kipyegon ready to attack four minute mile in Nike Breaking4 project

LONDON - All eyes will be on the Paris sky on Thursday in the hope that conditions are considered optimum for Kenyas triple Olympic and world 1,500 metres champion Faith Kipyegon to make her attempt on the first womens unofficial sub-four minute mile.

In a Nike Breaking4 project following the success of Eliud Kipchoges unofficial sub-two hour marathon, his 31-year-old compatriot will attempt the feat in the citys Stade Charlety, where she set her 1,500 and 5,000 metres world records.

If the weather is as favourable as forecast, Kipyegon will run in a host of innovative apparel and the inevitable improved 85-gram super-spikes that Nike say will give her the edge.

But the biggest impact is likely to come from her pacers and their computer-designed positions that should maximise the essential drafting benefit.

Kipchoge was shielded by an arrow formation of pacers, who dipped in and out of the race to ensure they were fresh enough to hold the necessary speed.

Kipyegon will need every ounce of help she can get to find the more than seven seconds she needs to beat her own 2023 record of 4:07.64, which took almost five seconds off Sifan Hassans 2019 mark in the rarely-run distance.

To break the four-minute barrier, Kipyegon will need to run each of her four and a bit laps an average of nearly two seconds faster than her previous best and she hopes her special relationship with Stade Charlety will help.

I absolutely think there’s special energy at this track,” she said. I have beautiful memories of Paris, breaking the 5,000 world record, breaking the 1,500 world record there. And now we are going for this special one, and I think the track will bring good results.

Kipyegon won the Olympic 1,500m title at the 2016, 2020 and 2024