Faith Kipyegon says a woman will run a sub-four minute mile

Faith Kipyegon said she believes a woman will break the four-minute barrier for the mile “in this generation or the next”, and the challenge is what keeps her training.

The Kenyan came up short in her specially arranged attempt in June to become the first woman to smash through the four-minute barrier, clocking 4min 06.42sec in Paris.

“My goal was to be the first woman to run under four minutes in the mile. I would say I didn’t do what I wanted to do, but it sent a message that it is possible one day,” Kipyegon told reporters in a roundtable interview released on Thursday, ahead of next month’s World Championships in Tokyo.

“If it does not come my way, it will be someone one day,” the 31-year-old added.

Kipyegon, a three-time Olympic gold medallist, said that history-making goal gets her out of bed in the morning.

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“I believe there will be a woman running under four minutes in the next generation or our generation, and that’s why I keep going, keep training,” she said.

“I have achieved a lot, all the medals, the Olympics and world championships, but I still have a drive, I still want to show that women are capable of doing what we have to do in this world, that we have got this and we need to do it,” she added.

The indefatigable Kipyegon bounced back within days of her mile attempt disappointment, setting a world 1500m record of 3:48.68 at the Prefontaine Classic Diamond League meeting in Eugene.

Tokyo will be the first championships where World Athletics will administer a new gender test, and the Kenyan said she welcomed its introduction.

“It is all about women and I am okay about it. This is a new thing and we’re all going to face it. I am looking forward to it,” she said.

She also admitted she was already eyeing a move up to the marathon.

“It will be soon. I am not getting young any more. I will announce soon, but not now,” she said.