Double Olympic 1500m champion, Faith Kipyegon, has expressed delight after two of her world records were ratified on Tuesday.
The 28-year-old mother of one spoke after World Athletics released a statement that brought the development to light on Monday.
“World records set this season by Faith Kipyegon, Lamecha Girma, and Maria Perez have been ratified,” the statement read in part.
“Kenya’s Kipyegon has achieved three world records since June and two of those marks— women’s 1500m and 5000m— are now officially in the record books. Her women’s mile record set in Monaco on July 21 is pending ratification,” it continued.
Kipyegon, who first stole the global headlines after shattering the eight-year-old record in the 1500m, has vowed to unpack more surprise packages over the distance.
“I believe I’m yet to achieve more over the distance. That’s my specialty and there is still a big chance I might end up breaking my record,” Kipyegon remarked.
She expressed delight after her 5000m record was also ratified, saying she hoped the one she smashed in the mile would also follow soon.
“I’m excited that two of the three world records I set are officially in the books and I’m now waiting for the women’s mile record also to be ratified,” Kipyegon stated.
Kipyegon said she hopes to collect a lot of good memories from the Budapest extravaganza, where she will be doubling in both races.
She has intensified training to replicate her form this season, having dominated the track at a whim.
The middle-distance track queen, who has been on a roll this season, set her first record at the Diamond League meeting in Florence on June 2, where she blazed to victory in 3:49.11 to smash the women’s world 1500m record of 3:50.07, earlier set by Ethiopia’s Genzebe Dibaba in Monaco on July 17, 2015.
A week later she replicated her feat at the Meeting de Paris on June 9, shattering the 5000m record of 14:06.62 set by Ethiopia’s Letesenbet Gidey in Valencia on October 7, 2020, after clocking 14:05.20.
Then on July 21, Kipyegon broke the women’s mile record by nearly five seconds at the Monaco Diamond League for her third world mark.
She cut the tape in 4 minutes, 7.64 seconds to break the record of 4:12.33 set by Dutchwoman Sifan Hassan in 2019 at Monaco.
Kipyegon said she is eager to write another peculiar narrative in Budapest, where she will aim to become the first woman to win three world titles over the 1500m if she triumphs.
“I’m now shifting focus to the next month’s World Championships in Hungary. I’m confident of performing extremely well in the 1500m where I will be going for nothing short of a gold medal,” “ Kipyegon said.
She cruised to the world titles in 2017 and 2021 but narrowly missed the defence of her championship in 2019 in Doha, where she secured the silver.
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