Kenya's Faith Kipyegon has already accomplished just about everything there is to accomplish as a runner. A three-time Olympic champion in the 1500m, she's quite possibly the greatest female middle-distance runner in history, and she also holds the current women's world record in the mile.
But Kipyegon still has at least one more piece of history to run down. And on Thursday, at the Nike Breaking 4 event in Paris, she'll attempt to go where no woman before her has ever gone: a sub-four-minute mile.
You have to dream, to go for that risk and just believe in yourself in everything you do," Kipyegon told reporters ahead of her attempt. "We all have the same dreams. And what a man can do, a woman can do.”
It's been more than 70 years since Britain's Roger Bannister first broke that hallowed barrier on the men's side, but it remains as mystical as ever. What are the odds that Kipyegon actually pulls it off? And how can you watch her try? Here's everything to know.
How to watch Faith Kipyegon Breaking 4: Streaming info
The Breaking 4 event will not be carried on any traditional television channel. If you want to tune in, you can stream Kipyegon's run Amazon Prime Video, which is free for Prime subscribers. Amazon is also currently offering a 30-day free trial for new subscribers.
You can also follow coverage of Kipyegon's run on Nike's YouTube, Instagram and TikTok accounts.
When is Faith Kipyegon running?
Kipyegon's run is scheduled to begin at 7:15 p.m. Paris time, which translates to 1:15 p.m. ET in the United States. The event will be held at the Stade Charlety, a multipurpose stadium most regularly used for rugby matches.
What is Faith Kipyegon's mile PR?
What chance does Kipyegon have at actually running a sub-4 mile? If any woman alive can do it, it's her: She currently holds the women's outdoor record in the mile, having run a 4:07.64 two years ago. And Nike is doing everything it can to aid the 31-year-old Kenyan, from an aerodynamic skinsuit to new spikes to a team of drafters who will surround her in an effort to reduce the effects of drag.
Nevertheless, the odds and biology are stacked against her. To keep a four-minute mile pace, a runner has to be able to run the 800m in one minute and 53 seconds — four seconds faster than Kipyegon's best time in that event. Still, if both Nike and Kipyegon agreed to put on this event so publicly, you'd think there's at least some confidence.
Fastest mile times for men and women
Men's times have continued to leave the four-minute mark in the dust since Bannister's feat in 1954. The current record-holder for the outdoor mile is Morocco's Hicham El Guerrouj, who ran it in 3:43.13 back in 1999.
Runner | Time | Date |
|---|---|---|
Hicham El Guerrouj | 3:43.13 | July 7, 1999 |
Noah Ngeny | 3:43.40 | July 7, 1999 |
Jakob Ingebrigtsen | 3:43.73 | Sept. 16, 2023 |
Yared Nuguse | 3:43.97 | Sept. 16, 2023 |
Noureddine Morceli | 3:44.39 | Sept. 5, 1993 |
Josh Kerr | 3:45.34 | May 25, 2024 |
Steve Cram | 3:46.32 | July 27, 1985 |
Daniel Komen | 3:46.38 | Aug. 26, 1997 |
Vénuste Niyongabo | 3:46.70 | Aug. 26, 1997 |
Saïd Aouita | 3:46.76 | July 2, 1987 |
On the women's side, Kipyegon's 4:07.64 stands alone, nearly a full five seconds faster than the next-closest competitor.
Runner | Time | Date |
|---|---|---|
Faith Kipyegon | 4:07.64 | July 21, 2023 |
Sifan Hassan | 4:12.33 | July 12, 2019 |
Svetlana Masterkova | 4:12.56 | August 14, 1996 |
Genzebe Dibaba | 4:14.30 | Sept. 6, 2016 |
Ciara Mageean | 4:14.58 | July 21, 2023 |
Freweyni Hailu | 4:14.79 | July 21, 2023 |
Laura Muir | 4:15.24 | July 21, 2023 |
Jessica Hull | 4:15.34 | July 21, 2023 |
Paula Ivan | 4:15.61 | July 10, 1989 |
Natalya Artyomova | 4:15.80 | August 5, 1984 |
It is worth noting that, even if Kipyegon does pull off the impossible on Thursday evening, it won’t count as a world record under World Athletics rules as it is not an official race. This is simply an exhibition event to see whether Kipyegon can go where no woman has before.
How old is Faith Kipyegon?
Kipyegon turned 31 in January, but she shows no signs of slowing down any time soon. She cruised to a third-straight gold medal in her signature event, the 1500m, at the Paris Olympics last summer, breaking her own Olympic record in the process.