BUDAPEST, Hungary- At the World Athletics Championships, Faith Kipyegon, 29, accomplished a remarkable feat by winning two gold medals in the 5000-meter and 1500-meter events.
In the history of middle-distance running, no woman has ever achieved anything this double feat. And the fact that Kipyegon has already won the 1500-meter event twice, in 2017 and 2022, only adds to how impressive this is. After defending her championship this year, Kipyegon has earned the moniker “Queen of Middle-Distance Running” from the media.
In an interview, Kipyegon shared her simple strategy for winning the historic doubles at the event:
“Get to the front and go faster.”
As simple as it may seem, this has definitely worked for the Kenyan runner on Aug 22. In the 1500 m event, Kipyegon finished first overall with a time of 3:54.87, beating Diribe Welteji (silver) and Siffan Hassan (bronze) , who crossed the finish line in 3:55.69 and 3:56:00, respectively.
“Defending my title in the 1,500 was my big fish and main goal,” said Kipyegon, 29, who responded to the pace surge, earning her third gold medal at the world championships and her seventh 1,500 global medal overall. “But I’m excited to run the 5,000.”
Four days later, Kipyegon bagged another gold medal as she placed first in the 5000 m with a record of 14 minutes 53.88 seconds, defeating Siffan Hassan (silver) with 14 minutes 54.11 seconds and Beatrice Chebet with 14 minutes 54.33 seconds.
“This has been an amazing year for me,” she wrote. “Making history yesterday, winning two gold medals in a championships is what I was dreaming for this season. My dream just came true, it is amazing. I have been consistent, focused on the finish line and on writing history. I will continue to push myself in the future. My daughter gives me amazing support, she always tells me I can do it. Lastly, I want to thank my amazing team, my coach, my management and all amazing fans,” Kipyegon expressed on Instagram.
There is no doubt that Faith Kipyegon cemented her place among the world’s best distance runners with her historic 1500m/5000m double.