Three-time Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon is set to bag millions in cash prize if she dips under four minutes in the mile race at the Charlety Stadium in Paris on the evening of Thursday, April 26.
If she does so, she will enter the annals of history, just as Roger Bannister did 70 years ago when he became the first man to break the same barrier.
Dubbed ‘Breaking4’, the race is more than just a run—it’s a calculated assault on one of middle-distance running’s most elusive barriers in women’s athletics.
The initiative, spearheaded by her sponsor sportswear giant Nike, is backed by the newly launched women-only track and field league, ATHLOS, which has placed a Ksh13 million ($100,000) incentive on the line for the 31-year-old Kenyan.
“World records weren’t enough. Faith Kipyegon is chasing the impossible. We are in awe of the pursuit and the strength to push the limits of the sport. If Faith Kipyegon makes history, ATHLOS will pay the queen her dues,” read a statement from the league, founded by tech entrepreneur Alexis Ohanian.
“We’ve got $100K on @Kipyegon_Faith to break the world record!! And you better believe we’ll swiftly wire it—just like we did for all our ATHLOS athletes at our record-breaking meet last year,” Ohanian shared in a tweet.
Also Read: How to Watch Faith Kipyegon’s 4-Minute Race
Faith Kipyegon Eyes Ksh13M for Historic Sub-Four Mile Run
The double world champion (1500M and 5000M) will be attempting to become the first woman to finish a mile in under four minutes.
While more than 2,000 men have covered the distance inside four minutes since Roger Bannister’s remarkable run in 1954, no female athlete has ever come particularly close to the mark.
Kipyegon is the current record holder over the distance, a 4:07.64 she clocked at the Monaco Diamond League in 2023.
She has won 1,500m gold at three consecutive Olympics and also triumphed at three World Championships in the same event.
This historic attempt is scheduled to take place at the Athlos meeting in Paris, a women-only competition first organized by Alexis Ohanian last year to elevate the status of women’s athletics beyond the Olympic Games.
The six-time world medallist believes Breaking4 will further cement her legacy as the most decorated female miler in history – and inspire women across the world.
“It will give hope to the next generation and women to expand our boundaries and keep believing in ourselves and that everything is possible.”
Three-Time Olympic Champion to Cut At least 8 seconds
The 31-year-old has set her sights on cutting at least eight seconds off her personal best in the mile.
Also Read: Kenyan University Honors Faith Kipyegon in a Special Way
Her run at Stade Charléty won’t be counted as an official record because she will use “super shoes” and be paced by men.
Still, it will draw huge attention—just like Eliud Kipchoge’s sub-two-hour marathon in Vienna in 2019, which helped inspire this challenge.
Nike, which has supported Kipyegon’s journey, will stream the event live from Stade Charléty on its YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Douyin channels, starting at 8:15 p.m. East African Time.
The broadcast will also be available on Prime Video. A replay will be accessible for those who miss the live stream.
Additionally, Nike has partnered with Box To Box Films to produce a limited-series documentary on Kipyegon’s journey, which will stream in over 11 languages.
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