Three-time Olympic champion and five-time world champion Faith Kipyegon soared to victory in the 1500m event at the women-only track and field competition, Athlos, held in New York on Friday, October 10.
Athlos, launched by entrepreneur Alexis Ohanian, aims to build on the star power of women’s track events.
The inaugural edition was staged at New York’s Icahn Stadium in 2024, marking the end of a busy athletics season.
Kipyegon, who looked comfortable throughout the race, brushed off competition from Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay to claim victory in 4:17.78.
Tsegay finished second, while American Nikki Hiltz placed third.
This was Kipyegon’s second consecutive appearance at the event, offering the 31-year-old a chance to defend her title, which she emphatically won in 2024.
Last year, Kipyegon clinched victory in the first edition of the invite-only event in 4:04.79, beating Ethiopia’s Diribe Welteji and Kenyan counterpart Susan Ejore, who finished second and third, respectively.
Faith Kipyegon Bags Ksh7.7 Million After Stunning Win at Athlos NYC
The Athlos Meet is one of the highest-paying athletics events globally.
Ohanian announced that the prize money would be substantial since it is an invite-only race.
Also Read: Beatrice Chebet Beats Faith Kipyegon to Win Gold in Tokyo
Faith Kipyegon Bags Ksh 7.7 Million After Stunning Win at Athlos NYC
The total prize pool was set at Ksh 14.3 million ($ 110,500) per race, with winners taking home Ksh 7.7 million ($60,000).
Having finished first in the 1500m event, Kipyegon pocketed Ksh 7.7 million, the largest single-race prize money of her career.
The second- and third-place finishers received Ksh 3.2 million ($ 25,000) and Ksh 1.2 million ( $ 10,000), respectively.
Athletes finishing in fourth, fifth, and sixth positions did not leave empty-handed either — they earned Ksh 1.03 million ($ 8,000), Ksh 645,872 (& 5,000), and Ksh 322,936 ($ 2,500) respectively.
The victory comes shortly after Kipyegon clinched gold for Kenya at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 2025, where she stormed to a historic fourth world 1500m title, extending her streak of dominance with a fifth consecutive global gold in the event.
The 31-year-old matched retired men’s world record holder Hicham El Guerrouj, becoming only the second athlete in history to win four 1500m world titles.
Although she did not match her own sensational world record set in Eugene, Kipyegon’s winning time of 3:52.15 was nearly three seconds faster than compatriot Dorcus Ewoi, who took silver with a personal best of 3:54.92.
Also Read: Faith Kipyegon Wins Fourth World Title in Women’s 1500m Final in Tokyo
Unbeaten in the past five global finals, Kipyegon has not lost a 1500m race — excluding heats — for more than four years, further cementing her legacy as one of the greatest middle-distance runners of all time.
Kipyegon Legacy
Kipyegon has already stamped an indelible mark as the greatest athlete in the women’s 1500m.
In addition to her four world titles, she has claimed three Olympic crowns, winning in Rio de Janeiro (2016), Tokyo (2021), and Paris (2024).
She is the first female athlete in history to achieve this feat in the 1500m. Kipyegon has also broken the world record in the discipline on three separate occasions.
She first clocked 3:49.11 at the Florence Diamond League on June 2, 2023 surpassing Genzebe Dibaba’s previous mark.
Just over a year later, she ran 3:49.04 at the Paris Diamond League before lowering it further to 3:48.68 at this year’s Prefontaine Classic in Oregon.
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