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yesterday

Faith Kipyegon Falls Short in Quest for First Female Sub-4-Minute Mile

Using Nike’s pacemakers, an aerodynamic suit plus light spikes, she clocked 4:06.42—a time faster than her world record yet invalid for ratification.

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Athletics - Diamond League - Brussels - King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium - September 14, 2024, Faith Kipyegon of Kenya celebrates after winning the Women's 1500m final REUTERS/Yves Herman/File Photo
Faith Kipyegon, from Kenya, approaches the finish line in her attempt to become the first woman to run a mile in under four minutes.
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Overview

  • Faith Kipyegon finished her Breaking4 mile attempt in 4:06.42, falling more than six seconds short of the sub-four-minute barrier.
  • The performance outpaced her official world record of 4:07.64 but will not be ratified because of pacing support.
  • Nike’s race plan featured 13 wavelight pacemakers alongside a tailored aerodynamic suit plus ultra-light spikes to maximize her speed.
  • Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian pledged a $100,000 prize for a sub-four-minute run under official conditions.
  • Kipyegon said she will continue chasing the barrier, declaring that she has demonstrated it is within women’s reach.