Faith Kipyegon Is the Fastest Woman in the World to Run a Mile—and She’s Done It Twice

Athlete. Kenyan. Mother of one. Faith Kipyegon is a three-time Olympic gold medalist for the 1500 meters who simultaneously holds the world record for being the fastest woman to run a mile in 4:07.64. Those are inspiring stats alone, but then the 31-year-old took on a new challenge last week: to run a mile in less than 4 minutes.

It sounds impossible, but Kipyegon has broken world records before. And in support of Kipyegon’s attempt to be the first woman to run a sub-4 minute mile, Nike hosted a group of content creators, photographers, videographers, and journalists (including Glamour) from around the world to witness the historic event in Paris.

The brand’s Breaking4 event involved three days of programming and activations that included a team run (in partnership with Paris run club, 8lines) as well as panels with middle-distance runners Keely Hodgkinson, Halimah Nakaayi, and others.

But the main event was on Thursday, when hundreds of people stood inside Stade Charléty stadium waiting to witness history. All around, the phrases “Breaking4” and “Faith Kipyegon vs. The 4-Minute Mile” were projected for all to see, making the athlete’s presence known across the stadium and throughout Paris. When Kipyegon came onto the track, thunderous applause and screams of “Faith, Faith, Faith” reverberated throughout the entire arena. As a new runner, I couldn’t help but feel inspired by Kipyegon. Being in the stadium with hundreds of supporters and seeing the Kenyan flag raised high with pride was deeply moving and made me realize: If she can do this, there’s nothing I can’t do either.

Faith committed to the race, and Nike committed to her success. The brand decked Kipyegon out in the latest innovations for the event. She wore custom made-for-speed attire that included a first-of-its-kind Nike Fly Suit with aerodynamic materials to help her conserve energy, paired with the Nike FlyWeb Bra to limit heat and manage moisture. Her Nike Victory Elite FK spikes were the finishing touch—built to her exact specifications, the shoes are lighter than anything she’s ever worn before. Intentionally researched and designed, everything Kipyegon put on was made specifically for this groundbreaking moment at Breaking4.